


Give a Bro a Hand

by ItsAlwaysBloodMagic



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: (An Attempt Was Made), Anal Sex, Background Promnis, Blow Jobs, Come Shot, Friends to Lovers, Frottage, Hand & Finger Kink, Hand Jobs, Idiots in Love, Intercrural Sex, Lack of Communication, Light Dom/sub, Look-Alike Porn, M/M, Mutual Masturbation, Porn Watching, Porn With Plot, Sex Toys, Sexting, Size Difference, Size Kink, Smut, Sparring, Under-negotiated Kink, bros being bros, oops feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-03-20 10:05:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13715379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsAlwaysBloodMagic/pseuds/ItsAlwaysBloodMagic
Summary: Gladio had a hunch about Noct, and that hunch was three letters long and a hell of a mess if you were beholden to the line of Lucis.  His entire personal life was an agenda item for closed-door meetings full of dusty old men.  Being into guys was… well, it wasn’t an option for Noct, and that sucked.  Gladio wanted the kid to feel comfortable in his sexuality, and if hanging out while he jerked himself off would help the cause, then so be it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I thought I was writing a one-shot PWP until Gladio went and caught feelings. 
> 
> So, yeah... this is chapter one out of six. The next update will come in two weeks, and after that I will be on a weekly publishing schedule. Enjoy!
> 
> Much gratitude to [calamityera](https://archiveofourown.org/users/calamityera/pseuds/calamityera) , [candiedillusions](https://archiveofourown.org/users/candiedillusions/pseuds/candiedillusions), and [Butterfly_girl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Butterfly_girl/pseuds/Butterfly_girl) for acting as betas and cheerleaders, and for a whole lot of people on the FFXV Writers Discord for convincing me to take the plunge and write smut.
> 
> [Come find me on Tumblr.](https://itsalwaysbloodmagic.tumblr.com/)

Gladio leaned over and peered into Noct’s fridge. He eyed the contents – Tupperware organized by size, three slices of cold pizza still in the box, a couple of half-flat sodas, and his very own beer stash. He pulled a bottle out and held the cold glass to his forehead. It wasn’t particularly warm in Noctis’ apartment, but Gladio ran hot. "Hey Noct," he said, catching Noctis’ attention while he peeled his shirt off. "You want one of these?"

"Nah," Noctis responded. "I’m cool."

"Sounds good." Gladio pulled his multi-tool out of his pocket and worried open one of the knives. He slid the blade under the lip of the bottlecap and leveraged it up, then flicked the cap into the trash before wandering back to the couch. Noctis didn’t own a single damn coaster, so the beer ended up on the table top, a ring of condensation forming immediately on the wood. Iggy would have something to say about it later, but it was Noctis’ apartment, and whether he wanted to admit it or not, Iggy only had so much control over the kid.

Noctis looked up. "You got everything you need? I’d kinda like to finish this episode tonight." His eyes travelled down to Gladio’s chest, a look of mock-offense spreading across his face. "Put a shirt on, you smell like a garula." 

"Stop being a brat," Gladio responded. He leaned over and rubbed his armpit against Noct’s cheek, grinning widely.

Noctis wiped his hand down his face. "Gross, Gladio, you got sweat in my hair!" He picked up his game controller and pressed a button. The image on the screen sprang back to life. 

It was one of those shows where they show a lot of skin just because they can, courtesy of whatever premium network produced it. There was plot, sure, but right now what passed for plot was a big pair of tits bouncing in time to the sound of some dude grunting. Dude was behind and the camera was front-on, so Gladio and Noct were getting an eyeful. It was pretty hot, honestly. Not the reason he watched the show, but still.

He glanced over at Noct. "Whaddaya think," he said. "Nice, huh?" 

If the pillow positioned strategically across Noctis’ lap or the low blush spreading across his cheeks were any indication, they were in agreement on the subject. Gladio held in a snort, opting to nudge Noctis in the ribs instead. "Hey, you need to work one out?"

Noct bit his lip. He looked like he was actually considering the idea. The low grunts coming out of the apartment’s fancy speaker system were joined by a decidedly more feminine voice. It was loud, switching between breathy moans and the kind of oh-shit noises you only make when you’re sure the walls are sound-proof. 

Shit, Gladio thought. At this rate _he_ was gonna have to work one out.

"What if I do?" Noctis finally answered, so low Gladio almost missed it. 

To be honest, Gladio wasn’t really paying attention to what Noct was or wasn’t doing. "Go for it, then," he said, eyes still on the screen. He moved one arm to rest along the back of the couch. Noctis didn’t move, and after a minute Gladio hazarded a look. "You want me to get out of here, take a walk or something?" 

An arm shot out, finding his wrist. "No! I mean, you don’t have to go anywhere…" Noctis was very pointedly not looking at Gladio. "Sorry. Didn’t mean it like that."

"Like what?" Gladio asked carefully.

"You know, like that. Like, in a gay way."

Gladio snorted. "Noct, if I had a dollar for every guy I’ve jerked off with… trust me, it’s fine."

"What?" Noctis pinned Gladio with his eyes, and they danced with questions.

Gladio had a hunch about Noct, and that hunch was three letters long and a hell of a mess if you were beholden to the line of Lucis. His entire personal life was an agenda item for closed-door meetings full of dusty old men. Being into guys was… well, it wasn’t an option for Noct, and that sucked. Gladio wanted the kid to feel comfortable in his sexuality, and if hanging out while he jerked himself off would help the cause, then so be it.

"Yeah, it’s a thing guys do together sometimes. Doesn’t gotta be gay unless you want it to be."

The tension eased a little. Noctis even gave a look that might’ve been smug, if it weren’t for the circumstances. "Okay," he said. "I wanna."

"Cool. This good?" Gladio asked, gesturing to the screen.

Noct ducked his head again. "We could watch porn," he mumbled. 

He was lucky he chose that moment to shove the game controller into Gladio’s lap, because Gladio was trying really, really hard to resist making him repeat the request just for shits and giggles. Instead he laughed and said, "Porn, huh? Feeling brave, Princess? What's your poison then?"

"You choose," Noctis said. His voice was a little off, like he was trying not to come across as too eager. "Just pull up the web browser." He already had a hand down his pants; interest, uh, _growing_ pretty quickly. Hell, Gladio would be hard-pressed to pitch a tent that fast.

"Yeah, sure, no problem," Gladio said. He did his very best to navigate to the browser window and think about choosing porn rather than staring openly at what was most certainly the outline of Noct’s dick in his sweats. Because in theory, yeah, jerking it together was fine. But this? This felt different. Good-different. Inappropriate-different, given the fact that some unreachable part of Gladio’s mind was suddenly giving marching orders to his dick. 

Fuck. So much for making this not gay.

Apparently Noctis watched a lot of of porn, because all Gladio had to do was put X into the search bar. A URL popped up, redirecting him to the shitty kind of free porn site that makes you click through a million 30-second videos before you find the one that’s not a promo. "Ever heard of an incognito window?" Gladio teased, not taking his eyes off the screen. The thumbnails loaded one by one, filling the page with a million nearly identical pictures, made big by the giant screen.

Double fuck.

Noct had a type.

Every single thumbnail was filled with the same guy. Filled, because the guy’s back stretched across the whole thing. He was huge, with mullet. A full-body tattoo spanned across his muscular back and down his oversized biceps.

Gladio wasn’t stupid.

"You, uh, got a favorite?" 

_Well, yeah._

"Just pick whatever, okay?" Noctis said. It was clear by his voice that he knew Gladio had put two and two together. Gladio went over his options. He could bow out, make an excuse and go home. That didn’t sit right with him, because the last thing he wanted was for Noct to think he was uncomfortable. He could turn the TV show back on, but… nope, those tits really did something for him, and he did not need to sit here and look at tits while Noct jerked off next to him. At least the dude in the porno looked enough like him that it wasn’t a turn-on.

He flipped to a random video and checked the length. Nine minutes. It was a good amount of time; they wouldn’t be held hostage by twenty-five minutes of porn, and he could just put something else on if Noct wasn’t finished. He pressed play. A naked shoulder blade twisted on the screen. The room was filled with the sound of deep, masculine voices and skin slapping against skin. Gladio’s cock continued to take marching orders from a part of himself that he was most definitely not in control of, which was a problem, ’cause he was kinda planning on sitting this one out. Noct wasn’t helping either. He was letting out little gasps, and Gladio could see just enough out of his peripheral vision to know that one hand was working furiously in his pants and the other one was pressed against his mouth.

Gladio wondered what Noctis sounded like when he wasn’t trying to be quiet. He would probably be real loud if his wrists were restrained.

Yeah, that wasn’t helping.

He pressed his own hand against his jeans, just a little warning to cool it down there. His dick jumped in response. "Shit," he said, biting down too late to keep it from slipping out of his mouth. He looked sideways to see if Noct had heard. Yep. Noctis was looking at him, and his hand wasn’t slowing down any either. "Want something?" Gladio grunted, rolling his hips up into his palm. Gods, that wasn’t appropriate either. He told his cock to chill the fuck out. This was not going the way he intended it to.

Noct flicked his gaze down to Gladio’s crotch. "You gonna, uh," he gestured with the hand that wasn’t occupied. 

_Fuck it._ Gladio closed his eyes and leaned his head back. "Yeah, I’m gonna. You got any lube?"

"Bedside table. Top drawer."

The lube was easy enough to find, open but mostly unused. And… wow. The kid wasn’t done surprising him tonight. Alongside the lube was an array of butt plugs, probably about five of them. The smallest was thin and tapered, barely wider than a finger. And the biggest, well. Gladio wasn’t sure if _he_ could take the biggest. Based on the condition of the lube, Noct wasn’t there yet either.

There was also a box of unopened condoms. Gladio picked it up and checked the date, half expecting them to be expired. Nope, freshly bought.

Gladio looked from the lube to the butt plugs to the condoms and back again. He thought about the big guy with the muscles in Noct’s porn collection. He thought about Noct asking him to stay while he jerked off. _Yeah, we’re done thinking,_ he told himself sternly. He grabbed the lube and went back to whatever it was they thought were doing.

Noctis hadn’t finished without him. In fact, he’d paused the damn porno.

Gladio wanted to say what the fuck. He wanted to ask about the stuff he’d found in the drawer, and maybe about the guy in the video. Definitely about the guy in the video. He also kinda wanted to pull Noct’s dick out of his pants, take a good look at it, stroke it to hardness, and then tell him to touch himself while Gladio watched. In his mind’s eye Noct’s dick was little, small enough to fit in Gladio’s hand, with only the small, pink tip poking out from where Gladio’s fingers would curl around it. He’d be able to take it all down in one go without worrying about a gag reflex, because it wouldn’t even bump the back of his throat.

"See something you like?" Noctis asked. He was leering, one hand rested over top of his pants, rubbing slowly up and down a prominent ridge. Gladio gestured uselessly with the bottle of lube. 

"What’s up, big guy? You chickening out?"

He shook his head no and sat back on the couch as casually as possible, bumping shoulders with Noct before moving back to an acceptable distance. 

You know, an acceptable distance for jerking off next to the guy you’re supposed to guard with your life. Who just also happens to be the future king.

Noctis turned the video back on. Gladio slicked his hand up and got to work. The content wasn’t super interesting, so he replayed the image of Noct’s dick in his mouth, ass cheeks flexing while he fucked up into him. That worked just fine. He kept his cock in his pants, mirroring Noctis so he wouldn’t make him too uncomfortable. He was hard already, hot and swollen and sensitive to the touch. He really wasn’t gonna last that much longer.

He slowed his pace and concentrated on the video, willing his erection to subside. Big guys never really did much for him. It was stereotypical, but he liked himself a twink. Thick, curvy ladies with big tits and little twiggy guys, that’s how he rolled. He’d stopped trying to figure it out a long time ago.

The guy on the screen was grunting real loud. Gladio almost laughed, it sounded so fake. Noct, though… Noct wasn’t laughing. Gladio heard his breath hitch and looked over. "You almost there?" he asked. Noctis replied with a moan that went straight to Gladio’s dick. He grabbed the base of it, hard. The last thing he needed was to come to the sound of Noctis moaning. He couldn’t get his eyes off his face, though, and that was a problem.

"Take it out," Noct said. His voice was wrecked, soft and breathy with words breaking all over the pace. "I wanna see."

Gladio opened his mouth to protest, but what came out instead was "you first."

"Fuck, okay." And then Noct was lowering the waistband on his sweatpants enough to expose himself. He slipped a hand under his balls and pulled them free, rolling them around in his palm and tugging on his cock at the same time.

A grunt reverberated through Gladio’s chest, competing for air time with the buff guy on the screen. He was staring, and his hand was moving over his dick again, and really who was he kidding? Noct’s cock was everything he thought it would be, pink and little, no curvature, just enough girth to give it some weight. "Gods, Noct, you’re perfect," he groaned.

"I know," Noctis said, a smirk curling up the corners of his lips. He nodded toward Gladio’s lap. "Now it’s your turn." 

Apparently Gladio had a whole host of images detailing other shapes those lips could be making on queue, because they were playing in rapid succession. It was like he had a damn slide projector on hand. "Shit," he mumbled, fumbling with the button on his jeans. It wasn’t lost on him how Noct’s eyes were trained on his crotch. The minute Gladio’s pants were undone he was shoving them down to his knees. He went commando, so there was no underwear to get in the way. It was better like that, in jeans.

Gladio watched the look on Noctis’ face change from smugness to desire to pure fucking lust. The air in the room was suddenly too thick, too much all at once. He hissed through his teeth. "Eyes on the TV," he barked, hoping to gain himself a little mental space. Noctis took one last look before following orders. And that was hot too, the Prince taking orders from his fucking Shield. Hot, and dangerous. He closed his eyes and maneuvered his body forward, putting even more space between himself and his liege.

His eyes didn’t stay closed for long, because how could he not look? He turned his head to the side, allowing himself the small pleasure of watching, just for a moment. Noct was jerking it dry and his dick was starting to look a little raw. Before he knew what he was doing, Gladio was squirting lube into his hand and reaching over. "You’re gonna chafe if you keep that up," he said, and shit, he had his hand wrapped around Noct’s shaft and he wasn’t being stopped. If anything Noctis was egging him on, rutting up into him like Gladio was made for him, equal parts protector and fuck toy. 

There was only one way he could salvage the situation, and that was to ignore the throbbing mess of desire between his own legs. Lines in the sand and all that. They were still just buddies getting off together, never mind that his mouth was outright watering at the sight of Noct fucking his hand, or the fact that he was naked to his knees, or the fact that he had the sudden urge to grab fistfuls of Noct’s hair and pull him _down_ until his face was pressed against Gladio’s cock and he had no choice but to take it into his hot, wet mouth. As long as Gladio wasn’t jerking himself at the same time he was jerking his friend - and colleague and prince and pupil- they were cool.

Noctis, for his part, stared straight ahead, eyes fixed on the TV. He white-knuckled the sofa and his hips moved in a half-assed rhythm. Gladio licked his lips. "Better take your shirt off if you don’t wanna get come on it," he heard himself say. Fuck, that was filthy. Noctis just nodded and let go of the couch, twisting one arm up behind him and pulling his shirt over his head. His ass never stopped flexing, and pretty soon Gladio could see that his abs were doing their part just as eagerly. He stared in fascination, eyes trailing along Noct’s pelvis, up the barely-there happy trail to his belly button. He watched muscles that he, Gladio, had trained into formation as they rippled just under taut skin. He followed the crease between Noctis’ thigh and his torso, watched his quads shake from the effort of keeping it together. The kid wasn’t gonna last much longer. His hips were already picking up speed, his dick was twitching and leaking, and his arms were starting to tremble with how hard he was clenching his fists. 

"You waiting for permission or something?" Gladio asked. "It’s your party, Princess, you can come when you want."

Noctis went to offer a sharp retort, but it didn’t quite make it past his lips. The first few words tumbled out, and then he was tense and shaking and seven hells, he was gorgeous. His eyes fell closed and he froze, hips pitched forward and cock buried deep in Gladio’s fist, thighs squeezed together like a vice. Gladio tried not to think about fucking between those thighs. Then, before he knew what was happening, come was splattering over his hand, coating his palm and the pads of his fingers. More landed across Noctis’ stomach, and a few intrepid drops found their way into the hair plastered against his cheek. Noctis, like the cat he was, kinda just slumped backwards against the couch and closed his eyes, all the tension melting out of him in one go.

Gladio moved a strand of hair out of Noct’s face, effectively smearing the come still coating his hand along the path of Noct’s hairline. "Shit," he said, wiping at the spot. "Uh… we both might wanna -- "

"Ssh."

"Really, Princess? Cause you’re kinda a mess." 

Noctis didn’t reply. 

"Okay, then I’m just gonna…" Gladio hitched one thumb back toward the bathroom.

"Imma sleep," Noctis mumbled.

"Yeah, I see that." Gladio tucked the fond feeling spreading through his chest into a neat little compartment in the back of his mind. His pants had somehow managed to tangle themselves around his calves, and he tripped over them when he stood. He hitched them up, hopping and wincing when the cold metal of his zipper brushed against his half-hard cock, then stumbled over to the bathroom. With a solid wood door standing as a buffer between himself and the living room, the whole evening almost felt like a dream. He couldn’t deny it had happened, though. He took a deep breath to clear his mind before washing the come off his hands. If he knew anything about Noctis, tomorrow was gonna a hell of a day. He ran through his morning schedule while he splashed cool water on his face. Training with Noct, Council meeting with Noct, lunch with Ignis and Noct. 

Shit, Iggy. Guy was sharp as a tack. He would notice immediately that something was off, and he really, really couldn’t know about this. Gladio sent a quick prayer to the Six - _would one of you please run interference on Iggy_ \- then wet a washcloth and eased back out the door. 

Noctis was very much asleep when Gladio returned. He threw the washcloth, aiming for Noct’s nose. It struck home. Kid didn’t wake up - not a surprise, that one. Gladio snorted, then settled next to Noctis and began the task of cleaning him up. He took his time, chasing an irrational urge to be meticulous in his care, focusing first on his hair, then his stomach, and finally his groin. "This is real weird, not gonna lie," he said, wiping lube off Noct’s ball sack. "Never thought I’d be cleaning come off your body while you slept."

Gladio shut that train of thought down before it could even leave the station.

When he was finished he helped Noctis back into his pants and shirt. He thought for a minute, then hoisted Noct up and bridal-carried him into the bedroom. Strong, compact arms looped around his neck. "You just keep right on sleeping," Gladio whispered into his hair. He bent down, lowering Noctis onto the bed.

"Stay," Noct mumbled.

Gladio’s breath hitched and his heart did a little flip in his chest. "Not a good idea," he managed after a minute. 

" ’s a great idea." Noctis half-buried his head under a pillow. Gladio held perfectly still, reveling in the feeling of Noct’s arms holding him close. After what felt like an eternity, Noctis relaxed enough that Gladio was able to slip away. He scrounged up a blanket from somewhere, tucked Noctis in proper, and brushed a kiss across his forehead. He ignored the feeling in his gut when his lips met warm skin. It didn’t go away when he picked up his keys or when he let himself out the front door. It didn’t go away when he jogged down the stairs to the parking garage, and it was still there when he unlocked the car and slid into the driver’s seat. He crossed his arms and laid his head on the steering wheel, distantly registering the sound of the horn.

_Fuck._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love to scream about these boys, so don’t be shy about commenting!
> 
> [Come find me on Tumblr.](https://itsalwaysbloodmagic.tumblr.com/)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know I promised an update in two weeks and it’s been a month. I tried to write a million other fics and life just generally caught up with me. Things are less busy now, so here I am. To be safe, I’m gonna stick to the bi-weekly update schedule instead of going weekly.
> 
> If under-negotiated consent is a squick for you, you might want to skip this chapter. Because poor communication has consequences.
> 
> Otherwise, enjoy!
> 
> [Come find me on Tumblr.](https://itsalwaysbloodmagic.tumblr.com/)

As luck would have it, Gladio didn’t have to count on divine intervention. Noctis showed up to training with Prompto in tow, announcing that he would be joining them for _everything_ , all day long. He even tried sneaking him into the Council meeting. The glaive stationed at the door was met with a stubborn glare when he explained that no, the prince was not allowed to bring his irritatingly chipper best friend to a closed-door meeting, and no, he didn’t have the authority to make it an open-door meeting, and no, it wouldn’t matter if he did. Prompto ended up waiting in the hall, fidgeting on a bench and kicking his feet in the air for the better part of three hours. And, bless Noctis for his foresight, Prompto was given the chair between Gladio and Ignis at lunch. It was brilliant, because, well, Ignis had a crush and spent the whole meal flustered and blushing. Gladio gave them a month, if Prompto could stop being oblivious for like, thirty seconds, and Ignis could get over himself and make the first move. Okay, chances of that happening were slim. Three months.

Gladio half expected a slap on the back or a cheeky congratulations when Prompto walked into the training hall that morning, but he just gave his usual greeting of "hey big guy!" paired with his signature butt tap. He hadn’t blabbed to the Council – no, really, it was something Prompto would do – and he didn’t make a general announcement or a side-handed comment or anything. All of which was proof that Prompto wasn’t in on the situation. The kid couldn’t keep a secret for the life of him. 

So yeah. Props to Noct, because nobody needed to know. The whole thing was a one-off as far as Gladio was concerned. It was a breach of trust at the very least and an abuse of his station for sure. He was working for Noct, was in charge of his well-being, was a role model and in some ways a mentor. 

In other words, he needed to keep it in his pants. Which wasn’t easy. 

The experience had opened up a huge can of worms, both in terms of how he felt about Noct and in terms of, well, sex. The images of that night kept playing through his head: the way Noct’s dick looked in his hand, tiny and pink and vulnerable; how he started out shy but didn’t stay that way for long. The look he got when he realized Gladio knew – all cheeky snark, certain that Gladio wanted it too. And the butt plugs, for Astrals’ sake. Gladio had come at least twice a day to the mental image of Noctis bent over, presenting his ass. He would insist on taking the biggest one he could manage, be too impatient to wait. It would hurt, but he would like it. He’d make all sorts of noises and look fucking exquisite, with lube running down his thighs and a determined grimace on his face.

Not exactly what you wanna be thinking about when you’re pinning a guy to the mat.

It was other stuff too - the feeling in his chest when Noctis pulled a particularly graceful warp during training, or the way his breath caught when Noctis looked at him like he held the world in his hands. And when mock-battle left them pissed and sweaty and desperate in turns, when Noctis leaned in a little bit further than he would have last week, or when they dared press together, hip-to-chest, for just the briefest of moments - his heart and his cock had turned traitor, and there was no going back. The result of it all was a new evening routine of guilty jerk-off sessions and sickly-sweet, confused-as-hell dreams. 

Yeah, it was a relief to have Prompto arround. It meant they didn’t have to talk about it, and Gladio could focus on getting things back on track. 

So when their regular Friday dinner plans rolled around, he showed up, and didn’t think twice about staying long after Ignis and Prompto went home. Maybe it was two parts denial, but whatever. He and Noct were lounging on the couch with their feet tangled together, and it was cool. Things were back to normal.

Had he been paying closer attention he would have noticed the way Noctis had watched their friends leave, waited for the door to click shut, and then cocked his head to the side, tracking their footsteps as they disappeared down the hall. As it was, the touch to his knee caught him off guard. Noctis was leaning into his space, excitement and hesitation and something else dancing across his face.

"You wanna watch porn?" he asked, looking down and biting his lip. A tongue darted out and licked at the spot, leaving behind a trail of spit, and Gladio couldn’t take his eyes off it.

A million responses would have been appropriate – 'nah, that was fun but I’m not really looking for a round two', 'we can’t and this is why,' or even 'look at the time, gotta go'. Unfortunately, Gladio had two modes when it came to Noct – one was perfectly reasonable, brotherly love and all that. The other was simpler – it wanted, and now.

He took a deep breath. "Noct, we shouldn’t, and you know it."

"But you want to."

_Yeah, I do._

"Yeah, I do."

Shit.

Noct’s hand trailed along the inside of Gladio’s thigh. Gladio caught it, and Noctis struggled, clearly frustrated at being denied. "If we’re doing this, we’re doing it on my terms, " Gladio said. Noctis nodded and sat back on his heels. Something about the motion read as subservient, and fuck, Gladio’s dick was definitely picking up on that detail. "Good. Stay there, just like that." 

A flush crept up Noctis’ face and his teeth dragged back over his lip. Seven hells, that combination of innocence and obedience made Gladio want to pull his cock out of his pants and stroke himself to hardness while Noctis sat and watched. The part of himself that was still grasping at normalcy wasn’t a quitter, though, and apparently watching porn together was the closest thing they had to normal right now. He switched the on the TV, pulled up the same website as before, and started scrolling.

"Just pick something," Noctis huffed, annoyed and a little impatient.

Gladio grinned and scrolled slower, stopping occasionally to let a thumbnail play. "You’ll wait patiently if you want what I got," he said. Well, that was bold. And hey, his hand was pulling at his pants to show off his cock. Cool.

An idea squirmed its way into his consciousness. It was probably really fucking stupid, but his brain was busy shutting down key functions, most notably his ability not to make stupid fucking decisions. A very specific porn star had caught his attention this week. He would like to be able to claim he’d discovered the guy on accident, but that would be a lie. He’d gone looking.

_Black-haired twink_

_Look-alike_

_Prince look-alike_

_Prince and shield_

_Noctis_

He pulled up a favorite video. It took place in a makeshift training room, dingier than the one at the Citadel, but close enough. The walls were a textured beige and there were mats on the ground, some of them sporting visible tears. A pair of knees was pinning the look-alike guy to a wall by his armpits. The one doing the pinning was the muscle daddy that Noct favored so much. He was oiled down, his tattoos highlighted by the sheen, cock deep in the kid’s mouth, pushing forward with just enough pressure. Occasionally he would drag his hand through the fluids smeared across the guy’s chin and use them to slick himself up. He was stroking what wouldn’t fit, lips to balls and back again, grunting and giving little quick thrusts that had his partner gagging. His partner wasn’t crying exactly, but it was clearly more than he could take.

Gladio’s dick started to strain, not able to reach full hardness with the way it was trapped in his pant leg. He reached under his waistband and adjusted, squeezing just enough to find a little relief. Noctis was palming himself through his sweats with wide eyes glued to the television, and damn it was hot. "Did I tell you to touch yourself?" Gladio asked, "Because if I did I don’t remember it."

Noct dropped his hand back down to his side. "No sir," he said, head bowed just a little. 

Gladio sucked in a breath. "Eyes on me." He undid the top button of his jeans and worked the zipper down, then reached in and took hold of himself. Noct’s gaze followed his hand. "Up here," he said. Their eyes met and the world turned on its head. The look on Noct’s face went beyond lust; it was pure desire, like he wanted to consume Gladio, wanted him to be always, unequivocally his. 

Or maybe Gladio was projecting. "Not important," he muttered, shaking his head. Noctis gave him a quizzical look. 

He pointed at Noct, then back at himself. "You do what I say."

The sensitive skin of his shaft brushed against rough denim. He grimaced, but the pain was temporary – Noct’s eyes on his face had him throbbing, and they were a million miles away from denim and zippers and chafe. He played with the tip of his cock, then ran a finger down the underside, tracing a vein. 

He’d come across a medical textbook once that described the physiology of an erection. Blood rushes south, gets shunted to your dick, muscles do their thing and the blood gets trapped. So yeah, that vein? Squeezed shut at the base like a cock ring designed by Shiva herself.

"That really does it for you, huh? Watching yourself take a big cock like that." Gladio licked his hand, then gave himself one slow, deliberate stroke, resisting the urge to move any faster. He wanted this to last, wanted to feel the pleasure build, and maybe see if he could make Noct come without being touched.

Noctis squirmed in his seat, trying desperately to be good, eyes only occasionally wandering to Gladio’s lap. "Hey, you listening?" Gladio asked. His dick twitched and he let out a grunt. "You like the idea of blowing someone that big?"

Noctis swallowed and nodded, flicked his eyes down and back up again. The sounds from the TV were all kinds of lewd. Gladio could tell Noctis was distracted; hell, the combination of sucking and slurping and that noise someone makes when a cock hits the back of their throat were distracting to _him_. He used his free hand to take Noct’s jaw and redirect his attention. "Princess. You know how to use your words?" 

Another swallow. "Uh, yeah." Shoulders hunched forward and Gladio wondered if he’d gone too far. What was happening here wasn’t exactly a day in the life, and Noctis wasn’t a talker under normal circumstances. His erection started to flag. Not a whole lot, but enough to remind him who he was, and who Noctis was, and that there were a lot of questions his dick wasn’t gonna be able to answer.

He released his grip on Noct’s chin. "Sorry. Didn’t mean to push you." 

"It’s cool, just… I kinda wanna --" Noctis gestured at Gladio’s crotch. 

Gladio raised his eyebrows and grinned. "Yeah?" He weighed the idea. On the one hand, he could be getting a blowjob. On the other, this was Noct, and he didn’t wanna move too fast. 

_Shouldn’t be moving at all, because this isn’t becoming a thing._

Right. 

Anyway, he was almost as big as the guy on the screen, and if he’d had to place bets, he’d put his money squarely on Noct being new at this. Being his first was a hot fantasy, sure. But he didn’t want to put Noctis off sucking dick by giving him a shitty first time, and first-time blowjobs weren’t exactly known for winning awards. 

"Not today, princess," he said with a leer. "You gotta work up to a big guy like me, and I wouldn’t wanna ruin that pretty mouth of yours."

Noctis moaned. He was staring openly at Gladio’s dick, all pretense at following rules out the window. The moaning, the wanton, desperate look on his face, the way he was finally reaching into his pants… it overrode something in Gladio’s brain. He took his hand off his dick and held it out as an offering. "Get me wet," he said, "I wanna see what you can do." Both of Noct’s hands reached up to wrap around Gladio’s. They were on the small side, and Gladio looked giant in comparison. The visual did things to him, and shit, at this rate _he_ was gonna come untouched. He squeezed his knees together in an attempt to stifle the building tension between his legs. "Yeah," he said, when Noct’s tongue darted out, just barely tasting the tips of his fingers, "Like that." Noctis hesitantly took them into his mouth, watching Gladio for signs he was doing well. 

"C’mon, Princess, you can take more," he murmured, using his other hand to mimic what Noctis was doing. He started by thumbing the head of his cock, then squeezed down the length as his fingers disappeared into that hot, wet, mouth. He maintained a firm grip, moving his shaft with each stroke. When a tongue rasped against knuckles, he could feel it press against the vein that pulsed in his hand. He shuddered, heading off the first whispers of orgasm.

The kid was creative, Gladio would give him that. He covered every surface of Gladio’s hand with his mouth at least twice. The first time was shy, experimental. By the second round he knew what he was doing and wasn’t afraid to show it. Fingertips were caught between teeth before being shoved to the back of his throat. He lapped at the crease between each finger, down one side and back up the other, then took Gladio’s fingers two at a time, suction steady, lips pursed. Gentle kisses across a palm, eyes soft and filled with reverence. A final kiss over his pulse. His hand was flipped to reveal the back, skin massaged upward toward the first row of knuckles. 

It wasn’t long before Noctis was moaning again. His lips were pink and swollen, spit was smeared like come down his chin, and frankly, he was a mess. 

Gladio maybe kinda needed to take a break.

He tapped Noctis on the jaw gently enough to get his attention. It worked - he stopped fucking Gladio’s fingers with his mouth, opened his eyes, and glared.

"Just - Shiva’s tits, I need a breather. If you suck cock like that – fuck. Maybe I underestimated you." 

The grin that spread over Gladio’s knuckles was proud. He pumped his fingers in and out a few times, which only forced the smile wider, then pulled his hand away, hooking his thumb over Noct’s teeth. "You’ll take it," he said, and it was a promise.

Noctis’ mouth stretched open, obedient and begging. That was invitation enough - . Gladio surged forward and caught that mouth with his own. It was more of a claiming than a kiss, teeth finding a lower lip before travelling down to explore the skin between throat and chin. His tongue went to work, cleaning up the glorious mess Noctis had made of his face. He growled and pushed Noctis onto his back, and his hand, now slick with _Noct_ , found his cock again. 

His rational mind kicked into gear about the same time Noctis tensed up. He started to pull away, but he didn’t get far before small fingers wrapped around his hand and gripped the flesh of his cock. Noct’s grip was tighter than his, and it took them a minute to find a rhythm, but when they did it was good. The noise of their fucking filled the apartment. Gladio was low and demanding, while Noctis erred on the side of quiet and soft, all stilted breath and half-words. Noctis tensed up again, his voice hitched in his throat, and he stuttered out Gladio’s name. This time Gladio understood. He held tight. 

Gladio wasn’t fifteen anymore, but his dick could have fooled him. One minute he was drinking in the look on Noct’s face and the next minute his balls were tightening faster than he could respond. He scrambled to lift Noctis’ shirt up; not to preserve it this time, but because he really needed to see that stomach painted in come. He pinned it beneath Noct’s armpits and took hold of himself, taking a minute to rub along bare, smooth skin. Noctis squirmed, trying to find leverage with Gladio’s bulky legs tucked under his hips, and ran his tongue desperately over his lips. Gladio’s mind supplied him with a whole new scenario – straddling that pretty face, letting Noct work him open, then riding him until they both came. He let himself go, grinding his perineum down on Noct’s already-softening cock. Buzzing filled his ears and the world went white. His cock stuttered and pulsed and come fell in spurts over Noctis’ belly. He swayed dangerously, caught himself with one arm, and pressed his forehead against Noctis’ temple. 

"Shit, Princess," he said, "we should do this more often." Noct didn’t answer, so Gladio hitched himself onto his elbows and peered down. "Hey. You okay?" No eye contact. Yeah, that wasn’t okay. He let out a defeated sigh and sat up, wincing as he came unstuck from the waistband of Noctis’ pants. Of course it was gonna get messy, what the fuck did he think would happen? Shame worked its way along his spine. Jerking off together was one thing, sure. But this? This was sex, no two ways around it. 

He resisted the urge to pull Noct’s shirt down. The come smeared across his stomach wasn’t so hot anymore. Feet found the floor and he stood, casting around for his keys. 

The responsible thing would be to sit his ass back down on the couch, to apologize, to shitting _talk_ about what had just happened. 

He cleared his throat. Opened his mouth. Closed it again.

"What?" Noctis said. He reached a hand down to cover himself. It felt like being punched. 

"Guess I’ll see you later?"

Noctis made an annoyed sound. "Guess so."

Well, he had every right. "Okay." Gladio scrubbed at his face. "See ya."

The TV came back on. Noctis navigated out of the browser window – which Gladio had failed to do - and found a racing game. "Okay," Gladio said again uselessly. 

Noctis fished his phone out of his pocket and sent off a text while he waited for his game to load.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time on Give a Bro a Hand: Training montages and sparring tropes galore.
> 
> I love screaming about these boys, so don’t be shy about commenting!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended up splitting this chapter because 2,000 words of Stuff needed to happen. We will be back to our regularly-programmed smutty adventure next week. In the meantime, enjoy your plot-without-porn!
> 
> [Come find me on Tumblr.](https://itsalwaysbloodmagic.tumblr.com/)

Gladio was welcomed home by Iris giggling over the sound of the TV. "Hey Gladdy," she called from the living room, "you’re home late." He struggled out of his boots and placed then squarely between his father’s and his sister’s. The three pairs made a set, lined up in descending order by size. 

"Hey yourself," he said, leaning against the doorway. "Whatcha watching?"

"Queer Eye – oh, and this one is really great. They make over a fire station, and Karamo is so cute. It’s like he missed his calling and should’ve been a firefighter all along."

A smile lit up Gladio’s face for the first time since he left Noctis’ apartment building. His sister was good at that – driving out whatever was eating him. Not that the overall feeling of shame gnawing away at his stomach was going away anytime soon. But hey, he could bury it for a minute, huh?

"Mind if I watch with you?" he asked. 

Iris bounced up onto her knees. "Yesss!" she chirped. "Here, I followed Jonathan’s face mask recipe. He put face masks on the firefighters, Gladdy! It was so cute!" Iris sighed. "I’m kinda just like him, don’t you think?"

"You know what? You kinda are." Gladio sat down and let Iris paint goop over his face. It smelled strongly of peaches and honey. "This stuff really good for my skin?"

"I have no idea, but it smells great." Iris tilted her head to the side and squinted. It was a little-known fact that the Amicitia family shared a strange little corner of their brains, a corner that was extremely convenient for sniffing out trouble. "Uh-oh, big brother's having some feelings."

Gladio closed his eyes and went to rub them, only to have Iris swat his hand away. "No touching. You're gonna make a mess." He sighed. That was a little too on the nose. 

A glob of peach ran into his ear and he shivered. "Yeah, I'm having feelings. Rather not talk about it." He stuck his pinky into his ear canal. "You got a napkin or something?"

Iris handed him a washcloth rolled into a crescent shape. It was warm, and there were five more resting on a small baking tray. "You sure?"

He considered the offer for approximately three seconds before deciding he was gonna have to take a hard pass. Fooling around with Noct wasn’t likely to go over well, and that was without bringing up the whole maybe-possibly-not-exactly seeking consent thing. Between Iris harboring a giant crush on Noct (Gladio was pretty sure he had broken a sacred brother-sister code with that one) and having an intrinsic understanding of the Amicitia responsibility to the crown, he was likely to singlehandedly cause a family rift with the confession. "Nah. Just wanna spend some time with my baby sister." He wrapped an arm around Iris, effectively trapping her in a headlock. 

Iris squealed. "Gladdy! Just for that, you're painting my nails."

"Deal," Gladio said, smiling. She snuggled into his side.

_____

The training hall was predictably empty when Gladio arrived in the morning. In a lot of ways he was glad for it - he had some stuff to work out. Key examples included the guilt that hadn’t washed away with last night’s Queer Eye marathon, Iris’ face mask, or the shower where he’d scrubbed his skin raw and ignored his dick altogether. He’d thought – hell, he was damn near sure – they were both into whatever he wanted to call what they’d done, but yeah, there was no denying the way Noctis refused to look at him there at the end. 

Best to use this morning to shift his focus. He was gonna see Noctis later in the day. It was impossible not to, seeing as how his literal job was to follow the kid around and look tough, and it wasn’t like he could play strong and silent without people noticing. So – clear his head. Shake off the 1AM text he’d sent, the one that simply read _I’m sorry_. Shake off the zero texts he’d gotten from Noct, and how much that hurt. Neutralize the damn guilt that wouldn’t leave him alone. Best way to go about all that? Two uninterrupted hours on the mat. 

Time to get to work.

First thing he did was take off his shirt, because seriously, fuck shirts. Then right into the physical stuff. Slow laps around the room was warm-up enough (it really wasn’t, he was gonna injure himself if he wasn’t careful, but fuck if he didn’t deserve that along with the rest of it all). He ran until his calves started yelling at him, then considered his options. Footwork would be good for him; he wasn’t nimble at the best of times, and it was something he could practice alone. He moved various obstacles into the center of the room; sand bags, hurdles, and the like; and hey, look at that. Strength-building. 

A muscle in his pec twitched and pretty soon the entire muscle group was singing along. He stopped dragging the heavy-ass sandbag across the floor and stood, stretching his arms above his head before lacing his fingers behind his back and bending at the waist to try and smooth it out. It didn’t do shit. The damn thing kept right on twitching.

He finished setting the obstacle course up and gave it a running start. He jumped the sandbags easily, then vaulted a couple hurdles, two-handed then one–handed then head over heels. When he landed he dashed for a rope, working his way hand over hand to the top. His biceps bulged and his hair dripped with sweat. He pushed right past it, ignoring the drops that fell into his eyes. When he reached the top he considered – he could either take a 15-foot free fall or work on control while he lowered himself down. In the end he decided he needed the adrenaline rush. He let go.

His stomach launched into his chest while his heart joined his tongue on the roof of his mouth. He bent at the knees to cushion the fall, landing first on his feet, then steadying himself with his hands. Deep gulps of air. In-two-three-four, out-two-three-four. A breathless walk to the bench. 

He had a towel around his neck and was taking a swig of water when the training room door swung open. It was such a surprise that he managed to spill water – like a lot of water – down his chin to his chest. He swiped one hand across it in a desperate attempt to dry himself off, then turned around.

Noct always did have a knack for timing. 

He gave Gladio a perfunctory once-over on his way to the bench, set his stuff down, and took off his jacket. He was wearing a plain, form-fitting T-shirt and joggers. It was hot, and Gladio couldn’t stop staring, which wasn’t helping the whole situation any. Noctis, on the other hand, was doing a damn good job of keeping up the no-eye-contact game from last night. Shitting excellent. Exactly what Gladio needed to start his day right.

Noctis stalked by, shoulder-checking him on the way to the weapons stand. "That how it’s gonna be?" Gladio asked, wiping the sweat from his face. "You show up late and pissed off?"

"Slept in," Noctis said. He pulled out a practice sword and tested the weight in his hand.

Gladio watched for a long minute. "You here to train or what?"

"Why else would I be here?" Noctis asked, finally raising his eyes to meet Gladio’s. Resentment sparked behind them.

If there was ever a moment to speak up, this was it. But Gladio was a coward, and the next words out of his mouth were proof. "Let’s get on with it then. No swords."

He led Noctis through a series of warm-ups, skipping over passive range of motion altogether. The obstacle course was next. Noct slowed down right at the end, limping the last hundred yards. 

"You did good," Gladio said. Noctis just glared, which had Gladio scratching his head. "Not giving me a lot to work with here, highness. Legs apart." 

Noctis took a wide stance. He should have been stable enough that he wasn’t swaying on his feet, but his posture was off today. Gladio stepped behind Noctis to re-position his hips, but it just caused him to tense up. Okay, maybe not so much with the physical correction. He ran a hand through his hair to shake out the sweat. Time to reconsider.

"Pivot your hips to the left… bring your tailbone in." Noctis complied, his mouth twisting into a frustrated frown. "Better. You feel more stable?" He got a glare for his efforts before Noctis started in on mock combat. He was moving too fast, and his footwork was sloppy. One might even call it purposefully careless.

That was all it took to snap Gladio back into trainer mode. He went at Noctis with what should have been an easily avoidable attack. Noct dodged a minute too late, grabbed onto Gladio’s arm, and fell right on his ass.

"Ow! What the fuck?"

Literal sparks flew when Gladio reached down to pull Noctis up. "Get it together, Noct. You’re gonna injure yourself with posture like that, and you know it." He released his hand and stepped back, putting a respectful distance between them. 

"Yeah, I’m aware." Noctis rubbed at his back. "Maybe if we hadn’t skipped the PT stuff this morning I’d be more nimble." He winced.

Well, that was on Gladio. He fetched an ice pack and massaged it until it was cold, then passed it to Noctis. "Sorry about that. Just thought -- " He scrubbed a hand down his face. "Y’know what? It doesn’t matter. Neither one of us has his head on right. Let’s call it a day."

"Sure," Noctis said. He brushed past Gladio to get his gym bag from the bench. "I’m gonna go change."

"Cool. I’ll clean up in here. And Noct –"

"Yeah?" Noctis said, and there was something in his eyes that Gladio couldn’t read.

"Bring Prompto to practice tomorrow so you have someone to spar against."

He didn’t get a response to that one, just an eye-roll that was too adolescent for a full-grown adult and some disgruntled muttering he was pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to be in on. "I’ll be in the shower, " Noctis said over his shoulder, "in case anyone cares."

Gladio probably stank, but whatever. He had a very specific fantasy that involved Noctis and locker rooms, and it wasn’t one he was eager to stir up. He gave Noctis an overly friendly wave, put the equipment away, and wiped himself down with a towel.

_____

Prompto showed up to training by himself the next day. Gladio decided to write it off as Noctis running late, but after ten minutes of awkwardly standing around and an additional fifteen of watching the second hand tick by on the clock, he had to admit something was off.

"Hey Blondie, you know if Princess --" the nickname stuck to the roof of Gladio’s mouth like burnt toast -- " _Noctis_ plans on gracing us with his presence today?"

Prompto took a break from pouring over the Citadel’s collection of replica Imperial firearms. "Nope, no idea." They were the first words he’d spoken all morning, and there was an edge to them.

"Shit," Gladio said, admitting defeat. He sat down on the bench and rubbed a hand over his face. "He’s not happy with me, is he?"

"You could say that." Prompto stared down the barrel of a pistol. "This one’s pretty." He loaded a magazine, slid it into place, took the safety off the gun, and chambered a round. Gladio shivered.

"What’d he say to you?" Gladio asked. Clearly the part of him that enjoyed a good slow-motion train wreck was pulling rank, because he really shouldn’t be discussing this with Prompto. Especially when the kid was holding a firearm.

Prompto jerked a thumb toward the Citadel’s firing range. "Listen," he said, ushering Gladio in, "you two need to talk. Because your problem is quickly becoming my problem." He readied the pistol, "And pretty soon," took aim at a target, "it’ll be Iggy’s problem." and fired. "Pretty sure nobody wants to be around for that." Prompto shot off six more rounds in rapid succession, ejected the mag, then spun the gun around by the handle and jammed it into an invisible holster.

"Yeah." Gladio did his best to ignore the ringing in his ears. Muffs would have been a good idea. "Guess you’re right."

"Any time, dude." Mission accomplished, Prompto gave Gladio a wink and a wave, then left for… wherever Prompto went when he wasn’t with Noct. Home, Gladio figured. Or school. He jumped and swung his arms up when he reached the door, hitting the top of the frame. "Yess," he intoned, pumping his fist. He skipped down the hall, beatboxing a victory tune the whole way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love to scream about these boys, so don’t be shy about commenting!
> 
> [Come find me on Tumblr.](https://itsalwaysbloodmagic.tumblr.com/)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi folks, welcome back! It pleases me to no end that people are enjoying this. Your sweet encouragement, comments, and kudos are giving me life. So thank you.
> 
> I was talking with [EratosChild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eratoschild/pseuds/Eratoschild) about how there needs to be more Shovel Talk Prompto in the world. Guess what? They delivered! Check out their fabulous ficlet [Nonchalance](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14196165) if you're also thirsting for more. It's amazing.
> 
> [Come find me on Tumblr.](https://itsalwaysbloodmagic.tumblr.com/)

Four days later and there was still no sign of Noctis. As badly as Gladio wanted to skip out on training, he couldn’t stop showing up. It was his duty to be there. So day after day he woke at the ass crack of dawn and made his way to the Citadel, rubbing sleep from his eyes and praying this wouldn’t be the day Noctis finally showed up.

The first couple were easy. He developed a routine. He’d warm up, move through a set of exercised designed to even out the stress that had built up over the previous day, and end with meditation. The novelty wore off quickly, though. He missed Noct, and the cold silences that stretched between them when they had to be together were painful. He wanted to talk, but after the first text message went unanswered he couldn't bring himself to try again, and the kid was doing a damn good job of avoiding being alone with him. 

Gladio even worked up the nerve to ask Ignis how Noct was, not that it did any good. Ignis just peered at him over his glasses before saying "you see as much as him as I do." Ignis was being straight with Gladio, as far as he could tell. They talked about their charge often enough that Ignis would let him know if Noctis was acting out. And if Ignis was aware that he was skipping practice in the morning… well, Gladio would hear about it.

The locker room was empty when Gladio arrived on day four. The mornings were usually slow; he only ever had to share them during the first week of Glaive training, when new recruits were busting their ass to catch up with the rest of their cohort. He changed quickly, then stashed his stuff in a locker and tied his shoelaces. That morning had been rough. He'd woken sweaty and distressed from a dream where he was forced to stand witness while Noctis was cut down by a faceless enemy. It had been bloody, brutal, and riddled with guilt. 

He walked the hallway in a daze, worrying at the dream like a loose tooth. A frustrated noise escaped his throat; he was hung up on this shit and fresh out of coping mechanisms, and honestly it was getting old.

A flash of blue light greeted him when he shouldered his way into the training room. It was followed by a blur, erratic and black, and a slam of another body against his own. Noctis was boxing him in. He had one hand on the hilt of a knife and the other against Gladio's chest. The door clicked shut behind them. 

Gladio blinked, eyes wide in surprise. He tried desperately to slow his pulse. He could feel his damn dick waking up, just from the sheer proximity of Noct after four days apart.

"Fight me," Noctis growled. He leaned into the hold.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I ordered you to."

Astrals. That royalty shit and Noctis pissed off had Gladio ready to go. His loins were literally quivering. Was that even a thing outside of books? He resisted the urge press back against Noctis, splaying one hand against the wall to keep himself grounded.

"Noct," he said, keeping his voice as stern and even as possible. "You have every right to be pissed."

"Damn right I do." 

"But his isn't gonna get us any-"

"What the fuck else am I supposed to do?" Noctis said, cutting him off. He backed up, chest heaving, a wild look in his eyes.

"I don’t know, maybe try talking?" Gladio leaned against the door and crossed his hands over his chest.

The sole of Noct’s shoe squeaked on the linoleum when he pivoted, desire to escape from the situation evident on his face. Where he was going was anyone’s guess, since Gladio was still blocking the door, but he’d take it. He heaved a sigh of relief and made his way toward the bench. Halfway there he felt something hit the back of his knees, bringing him to the ground with a thud. Noctis came ’round the front and finished his attack with a foot on his shoulder. 

He was pinned. 

"Fuck," Gladio said. He stared desperately up at Noct, want pooling in his stomach. "Okay, you win. What do you want?"

"About time you asked," Noctis muttered. 

Gladio's stomach dropped at the words. "Shit, listen kid, I'm sorry. I should have never -" 

"I'm not done." Noctis took his foot off Gladio and stood over him like he was deciding what to do next, hands balled into fists. Now that this was finally happening, Galdio didn't know what to do with himself, so he stayed there, splayed out on the floor, quiet and weak for his prince. 

"Okay," he said meekly. His throat went dry. He cleared it, then ran his tongue over his lips. 

Noctis smirked, and it was a heady thing. His eyes said _I own you_ , while is mouth formed over a different word, one syllable, simple: "Good." He kicked at Gladio’s torso. "Now stand up."

"Kinda difficult with you looming over me." _And with all the blood in my gods-damned body rushing to my dick._

Gladio kept that part to himself.

The smirk grew. "Try your best." 

Sitting up meant his nose was level with Noctis' crotch. Noctis smiled wider and pressed his hips forward. It wasn’t Gladio’s first choice, but he turned his head to the side and scooted back until he was out of reach, casting a single, mournful look at the front of Noct’s pants. A mini-lecture to his cock about not stepping out of line, a breath in to steady himself, and he was able to stand. "What're you looking for, here? Because this passive-aggressive shit isn't gonna get you very far."

And just like that, Noctis shut down, all the anger draining out of him. Gladio watched it happen. His lips twitched downward and the smirk disappeared. The satisfied glint in his eyes went next, replaced with a careful blankness, eyebrows smoothing out to complete the look. 

"Doesn't matter." 

Gladio crossed the room and sat, then pressed his hands against his eyes. When he opened them again his vision was obscured with black dots. "Listen. It matters. I fucked up before." Noctis' composure was slipping, and Gladio kept getting hints of rage and distress and what he would call desire if he didn’t know any better. He sighed. "Come sit down, Noct."

Three strides, legs slung over a lap, and Nocts was draped across him with his face against his chest. "I want you," he said into Gladio’s shoulder. He raised his head and met Gladio’s eyes. His were narrowed, stubborn and angry. "You fucked up." And here he repeated himself, pushing their hips together. "Doesn’t matter. I’m fine. I want you." 

"Not really what I meant when I said sit," Gladio answered. But his hands were resting on Noct’s waist and damn it all if he didn’t push right back, days and days of pent-up sexual energy and frustration channeled into it the action. Noctis caught his mouth and Gladio resisted, intending to slow them down, to stop the kiss long enough to do things right. "Noct," he said, but he didn’t even get the entire word out before Noctis' lips were pressed against his, all urgency and desperation and lust. And he gave in, because of course he did. He was helpless and in lo – 

No.

He would do anything for Noct, yes. But those words – no.

"Hey," Gladio said between lips and tongue and breath, "slow down."

Noctis stopped and sat back. "Don't wanna." He rested his hands on Gladio's chest. They stood out in sharp contrast to Gladio’s pecs, each one twice as large as Noct’s palm.

Gladio chuckled. "Yeah, I got that."

"Fuck you," Noctis responded, batting at Gladio. But he was grinning. 

"Maybe later." Gladio grinned back, then teased Noctis with a roll of his hips. "Serious for a minute though?"

"Do we have to?"

Gladio took Noctis' hands and lowered them, clasping their fingers together. The shift from angry to sex–fueled to damn near heartfelt was overwhelming, but then Noct was overwhelming, always had been. Plus, this was just as much on him as it was on the kid. He was the one doing the sappy hand-holding bullshit, after all. 

"Yeah, we have to. Don't want to hurt you again."

All he got in response was a pout. It was petulant, bratty, but cute.

"Noct, listen to me. Last time – I shouldn’t have taken things that far without asking first." He fought down the shame that was threatening the edges of the conversation.

Noctis shook his head. "Gods, you're such a dumbass."

"You gonna elaborate? I mean, I’m prone to agree, given the situation and all." Gladio sighed. This was damn hard. "But I want to hear it from you."

"I'm pissed because you ghosted me, not because you think you took advantage."

"What?" Gladio was blindsided. Noctis thought _he_ was being ghosted? "You're the one who didn't show your face for four days. I had to hear it from Prompto –"

"You told me to bring Prompto to training so you wouldn’t have to touch me!"

"Because I thought–"

"Well, next time try asking." Noctis gave Gladio a shove. "You left."

"Shit, Noct." Gladio said. He suddenly wished Noctis wasn’t sitting on top of him, because honestly it was making him feel trapped in a conversation that was getting more and more uncomfortable the more he realized just how off-base he'd been. "I thought you – you checked out there at the end."

"Not because I didn’t like it." Noctis wiped at his eyes. They were dry. Gladio had never seen him cry, but clearly this was a big enough deal to drum up something close to tears. 

"Why?" Gladio asked, gentle as he could. He itched with the desire to wrap Noctis up in a hug.

"I don’t know. Just – it was a lot all at once." Noctis stared at spot on the wall to just to the left of Gladio while he spoke. "Didn’t know how to handle it."

"And now?"

"Still don't." He bit his lip. "But I want you anyway." 

The sense of relief that flooded Gladio was palpable. A chuckle rose up from his chest. "We're a mess, aren’t we?" He hooked his hands over Noctis' hips and pulled him closer. "Can I kiss you again?"

Noctis smiled and let himself be pulled. "You better."

The kiss started off soft, all feelings and shit, but quickly devolved into playful nips and needy moans. They pressed against each other, hip-to-chest. Noctis panted into Gladio's mouth and Gladio rolled his hips until he was straight up fucking his cock against Noct's pelvis. He scraped his teeth along Noctis' throat, worked his hand between them, and tugged gently at his belt buckle. "Can I--"

"Want your mouth on me," Noctis said between gasps. 

Well, if that didn't do things to Gladio. "Fuck," he said. "Okay." He stood and hooked his arms underneath Noctis' ass. Noct wrapped his legs around his waist and squeezed, pressing their dicks together. Gladio nearly lost it at that. He started walking, striking out in a random direction. "Gotta find a --"

"Wall," Noctis finished for him, gesturing behind him.

Yeah, that. He reached the wall and used his bulk to pin Noct. Their mouths met again, hot and hungry and wet, and their hips bucked together, seeking relief. The way Noct wrapped himself around him felt perfect, like they were made for each other. 

Noct’s lips chased Gladio’s when he broke the kiss to hitch him up to his shoulders. One leg went over the top, the second around his chest to his back. "Wow," Noctis said, "seriously? Because this is some porno shit."

"Yeah, I hear you like that." Gladio didn’t have enough hands to prop Noctis up and work his pants down at the same time. "Now get these off. I want your bare ass on the wall."

Thy were off faster than Gladio could say cock. A hand wove its way into Gladio's hair, and he found his face pressed forward until his cheek rested against pubes. It was unbearably filthy. He mouthed at Noct's balls, let Noct's shaft lay across the side of his face, and kneaded his ass with his hands. "Gods," he said, and Noctis giggled when Gladio's breath tickled the sensitive skin of his groin. "Need an extra hand for my dick."

"Hold it together, Shield," Noct said. He tried for commanding, but it came out uneven. "You get me off first."

Gladio rutted into the wall. Only the tip of his cock caught any friction; the way he was pinning Noct had him too far away to seek more. He adjusted their position so he could free one of his arms, then reached around and took hold of Noctis' cock. Noctis gasped when he squeezed, grew hard in his hand when he stroked him. It was better than he had ever fantasized; the smell of Noct, the feeling of his balls against his lips, the way he moaned when Gladio took one into his mouth and sucked gently.

Noctis' hand found Gladio's and they worked his cock together while Gladio wedged the other one between Noct's legs and into his mouth. 

"Gladio – fuck – blow me already," Noctis said. His breath caught.

"Thought that's what I was doing," Gladio shot back. He found Noctis’ ass crack, then prodded the first ring of muscle with two wet fingers. It gave easily, and Noctis choked out a cry.

"Get – your – nngh – mouth," Gladio worked his hand in and out of Noctis’ ass, controlling the motion so he didn’t give Noct more than the first row of knuckles. "On," Noct gasped. "Mm, fuck, harder – on my dick." Gladio nipped at his foreskin. "What the fuck!" 

"Shut up, brat." He teased the tip of Noctis' cock with his lips, fucked into him a few more times, and swallowed him down with a moan. Noctis was sized to just tap the back of his throat, small but growing with each drag of Gladio's tongue. Gladio was out of his mind with it. His hips snapped into the air and he grunted in frustration. 

One hand was still clutched in his hair. The other found a broad shoulder and scrabbled for purchase. Gladio pulled back long enough to breathe, then went back in again, redoubling his efforts. He wanted his prince to claim him with come, wanted to feel it on his tongue and down into his throat. 

Noctis worked his hips in time with Gladio’s fingers. A slew of dirty words flew from his mouth, words like "Shield" and "mine" and "desperate for cock". Gladio's muscles were getting sore, and his cock was sorely neglected, and this position was maybe a bad idea, but those words kept him going. A low hum built in his throat, vibrating from the slit of Noct's cock all the way down the shaft. And that was it – that was enough. The hand in Gladio's hair tensed. Noctis came, hot and viscous, bitter in his mouth. 

He loved it. He loved how Noct's cock twitched against the roof of his mouth and the saliva that pooled under his tongue. He loved his own cock trapped in his pants, not enough hands to take care of it. He loved the desperation that built itself up, loved how it settled between his groin and his heart.

Gladio milked Noctis through his orgasm, sucking until he was soft, then swallowed and sat him back on his feet. He smirked, then forced his tongue into Noct's mouth and licked along the inside of a cheek. It was just so fucking fun to tease the kid.

"Sick!" Noctis pulled away and scrunched his nose up. But he was smiling, and laughing, and when he batted at Gladio there was no malice in it. Noctis stood on his tiptoes and gave him a proper kiss. It was soft, just lips laid one over top of the other. They stood there like that, foreheads almost touching, sharing breath, and the world slowed to a stop.

"Wow," Noct said. It came out soft and full of wonder. 

"Yeah." Gladio was still hard, but it was secondary to all the other things he was feeling; Noct's breath against his face, Noct's hands on his hips, the calm that had settled between them. It was like they were wrapped in a cocoon, like the only thing that existed was the two of them.

A hand snaked between Gladio's legs. "Your turn, big guy," Noctis said, beginning to stroke. He tipped his head to the side, then leaned in close, pressing his thigh against Gladio's cock. He continued to work it with his hand, slow and steady, with just the right amount of pressure. "I want you to come."

"Fuck, Noct --" Noctis cut him off with a kiss, filthy and lewd. "Fuck," Gladio repeated. He shook his head and took a half-step back. He grabbed Noctis' hand, which was still chasing his crotch, and pinned it over his head. The other one followed. Noctis' pants were still bunched around his ankles and he was bucking his hips into the air, never mind that his cock was still soft. He looked absolutely ruined, and like he wouldn't mind being ruined again. But. First thing's first. 

"You okay with this?" Gladio searched Noctis' face. "Be honest."

His answer was ragged breaths and a sharp inhale. 

"Talk to me, Noct."

Noctis pressed his body forward, and Gladio took another step back.

"Come on," Noctis said, "you're gonna fuck me now. Got that, Shield?"

A low growl built up in Gladio's throat. His dick gave a jump and a small trickle of come worked its way out. Yeah, he liked that idea. 

Just maybe not right now. 

"Slow down, Princess. That's not on the menu today." He pressed himself flush against Noct, tightened his grip, and slotted his dick into the crease of Noct's thigh. "Here's what I'm gonna do." Noctis squirmed and whined. Gladio bit into his neck, then mouthed at his ear. "I'm gonna lick up between your balls, get your thighs and your taint nice and wet, and slide my cock in there. You're gonna squeeze your legs tight around me. Think you can handle that?"

Noctis stared up at him, straining where his wrists met Gladio's huge palms. Gladio pressed their bodies together even harder. "I need a verbal yes or no."

"Gladio. I'm not gonna break." 

Gladio waited. 

"Fine. I can handle it," Noctis huffed, rolling his eyes. 

"Good boy." Gladio flipped Noctis around to face the wall. "Spread your legs," he said. Noct tried. His feet caught on his pants. Gladio released his hands. "Don’t move." He squatted down and tapped the back of Noctis' calf. "Lift your leg up." Pants were cast to the side and Noctis spread wide. "Good," Gladio said again. Noctis shivered. 

He pressed his tongue against the inside of Noct's knee and worked his way upward in long languid licks. Noctis' scrotum hit his nose and he breathed into it, licking along his perineum, asshole to balls. He was trembling, thighs quivering on either side of Gladio's chin with the effort of staying upright. Gladio gripped him just behind the knees. "I got you, Princess," he said, positioning his hands to take some of his weight. He started down the other leg, interspersing licks with bites and open-mouthed kisses, and when he reached his own hand he began all over again.

The noises coming out of Noct's mouth were working Gladio into a state. He was throbbing and desperate, heat pooling low in his gut. There wasn't a whole lot he could do about it, what with his hands wrapped around Noct's legs and his cock still trapped in his pants. He shifted so he was resting on one knee and grunted. He knew he couldn't come untouched, but damn if this wasn't the closest he'd ever been.

"Gotta finish this up quick," he muttered. 

Noctis glared down at him. "Shut up and keep working." 

He gave Noct a swat on the ass. "Cocky, aren’t we?" Noctis yelped and rubbed at the spot, wobbling on unsteady legs.

"Whatever. Get your cock between my thighs already."

Gladio grinned, hungry and sharp. "Cocky and pushy." He stood and rested one hand on Noct's back. "Hold still," he said, reaching down with the other one to get to his dick. It was hasty, but Noctis was sliding his damn thighs together and they were wet with Gladio's spit, and Gladio needed to be between them right the fuck now.

"Squeeze 'em together," he said against Noctis' ear. "Good." He lined his cock up and rubbed it against Noctis' thighs, then pressed forward. He paused when he met resistance. "Not that much," he grunted, "can’t get in." Noct scoffed at him and relaxed. Warm skin engulfed his cock, Noct's scrotum a comforting weight against the top of his shaft. His muscles were so defined Gladio could have named them, were he not otherwise occupied. 

He fucked in and out, slow and steady, the come beading at the tip of his cock mixing with the sloppy mess he'd made of Noct's inner thighs. Noctis was pinned against the wall, and with each thrust he cried out like Gladio was fucking him proper. He was slick, and warm, and he kept tensing and untensing in a way that made Gladio wonder how practiced he was at this. "Damn, Noct, you're so willing," he said. Noctis threw a glance over his shoulder and grinned. He bit his lip and moaned when Gladio sped up his thrusts. He was getting hard again, rutting back into Gladio.

"You like this, don't you?" Gladio growled. 

"Yeah." It came between gasps. "But want you inside."

Gladio laughed. "Needy little brat." He picked up his speed even more. "You sure you can take it?"

Noct reached behind him and grabbed Gladio by the thigh, urging him on. "I – ngh – yeah." The words came out a jumble, and Gladio lost it. His pace broke, becoming uneven. 

"I don't know," Gladio said, forcing the sentence though ragged breaths. "Most guys can't take me, and you're – Astrals, Noct, you're so tiny." Noctis keened, and Gladio sped up again, chasing the need that was building in his pelvis. "Squeeze your legs tighter – yeah, like that, good boy. Don't wanna hurt you --" 

Gladio came hard. He moved his hands down, running it over the head of his cock where it peeked out from between pale thighs. The sensation of his palm against the slit made him shudder. He smeared his come up the inside of Noct's thighs and around to the front. _Fuck,_ he thought. _Big fucking fetish._

Noctis' knees gave out and Gladio caught him, lowering him to the floor, slow and gentle. He settled himself between Noctis' legs and maneuvered him so his soles were almost touching and his knees were splayed into a makeshift butterfly pose. 

"What're you doing?" Noctis said, voice dazed and sleepy.

"Cleaning you up." Gladio rested his head on Noct's knee and began licking. He took his time with his tongue; slow, reverent, worshipping. He wanted to bury himself in the smell of himself combined with his prince. He wanted to lie down and die there. It was intoxicating. Noctis moved Gladio's hand to his cock, encouraging him to stroke in time to his licks. Their knuckles bumped together on each downstroke. Fingers followed, brushing, sweet and tentative.

And then, with a choked noise resembling Gladio's name, it was over. 

Everything was soft and sweet and _nice_. Gladio's head came to rest in Noct's lap and a hand carded through his hair, tugging gently at the places it had tangled. They were still naked from the waist down, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. 

"That was good," Noctis mumbled.

"Yeah," he replied. 

"Do it again?" A hand teased over his ear.

Gladio chuckled. "Later," he said, cuddling in closer. His eyelids drifted shut and his mind drifted with them.

The clatter of bodies moving down the hallway interrupted their moment of bliss. Loud voices bounced off the walls. Gladio scrambled to sit up. "Noct, we gotta-"

"Chill. I took care of it." Noctis' head lolled back against the wall and he grinned. "I locked the door. When I pinned you."

He side-eyed Noct. "You planned this, didn’t you?" 

"It was either this or fight to the death. Either way I didn’t want an audience." 

"You little shit." He gathered up Noct's pants and threw them at him, then stood, pulling his own to his waist. "C'mon," he said, helping Noct up. "You need a shower."

Noctis rested his palms on Gladio's chest and leaned in. He wrinkled his nose. "I'm not the only one." He nuzzled into the crook of Gladio's neck, and Gladio wrapped two big arms around him, brushing his cheek against soft black hair. They stayed like that for a very long time. It was perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love to scream about these boys, so don’t be afraid to leave a comment!
> 
> [Come find me on Tumblr.](https://itsalwaysbloodmagic.tumblr.com/)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and welcome back! We are at chapter five, y’all. The next one is more or less written, so it should be up sooner rather than later.
> 
> As always, thank you so much for the comments and kudos and all around loveliness. I had no idea I would get this much fabulous feedback, and it means the world to me.
> 
> [Come find me on Tumblr.](https://itsalwaysbloodmagic.tumblr.com/)

The smell of steak hit Gladio’s nostrils when he let himself into Ignis’ apartment. "Igs?" he called.

"In the kitchen," Ignis responded. 

Gladio toed off his shoes and set them on a small red carpet made for that explicit purpose before letting front the door click softly shut the way Ignis preferred. "You’re predictable, Iggy, you know that?" He crossed the entryway and slipped through the narrow door that led into the kitchen.

Ignis’ apartment was strategically situated three doors down from Noctis’. According to the Crown, it was best for the prince’s advisor to have unfettered access to his liege at all times; it was part of the deal when Noctis was granted permission to live outside of the Citadel. If Ignis could have his way he would have the apartment immediately next door, or, Gladio suspected, share a suite with Noct. But Noctis, in all his fifteen-year-old wisdom, had demanded they not share a wall.

Five years later and Gladio found himself unexpectedly grateful for his foresight.

"I can’t hear you over the sound of the stove," Ignis said. A flash of fire under a pan, and Ignis picked it up, holding it out of reach of the flame. "Drat. You’ve gone and distracted me." He frowned. "This one will be overdone." 

"I’m sure it’ll be fine," Gladio said, setting a six pack of beer and a bottle of red on the counter.

The smile Ignis flashed was sardonic and so reminiscent of Noct that Gladio did a double take. It was gone as fast as it had appeared. Noctis would have held it for effect; he overcompensated for his lack of ability to talk about shit with an arsenal of well-timed facial expressions, various ways of placing hands in pockets, and upwards of fifteen variations on slouching. It used to drive Gladio nuts, but like many things, that was beginning to change. 

"This one is yours, then," Ignis said decisively. Gladio snapped back to the present. "It’s not quite as bloody as you like. I hope you don’t mind." Ignis flipped the steak. "Pour me some wine?"

Like everything in Ignis’ apartment, the wine glasses were on display, hanging neatly upside down from a handcrafted piece of woodwork. It was mounted on the underside of a cabinet, contents visible through glass-paned doors. This particular cabinet held plates stacked neatly by size. Gladio knew from personal experience that not a single plate was chipped. He’d nearly dropped a saucer once; Ignis had caught it in midair and given him a look icy enough to melt Shiva’s tits. He was under strict orders to bring his own mug to brunch after that. It was a fitting and honestly not all that effective punishment, seeing as how he looked ridiculous sipping coffee from the tiny espresso cups Ignis favored. Besides, it meant he got to bring his favorite mug: a ceramic piece Iris had made before she got good at pottery, nice and heavy at the bottom with an off-color glaze dropping down one side.

It was chipped plenty.

"Great host you are," Gladio teased. "You want me to fluff your couch cushions too?"

"Very funny, Gladio." Ignis pushed his glasses up his nose and speared the steak with a fork, then transferred it to a plate before starting the next one. "Dinner is served." Gladio waved his arm dismissively. "Oh, don’t wait on me," Ignis admonished. "It’ll be overcooked and cold by the time this one’s done."

"No biggie," Gladio said. "I brought asparagus - don’t give me that look, Iggy; it’s marinated from the deli, you’re supposed to eat it cold." Ignis muttered something about planning ahead. "Yeah, I know, surprise flavors, disrupt the palette, etcetera. Figured we could use the vegetable. Hey, stop scowling at the pan. It’s good for you."

"Last I checked, my free time was my own. If I prefer to spend it doing anything other than eating vegetables," The word came out a curse, and Gladio held back a snort. "that is my prerogative."

"Don’t let Noct hear you say that," Gladio said. Something fluttered in his heart. He couldn’t even say Noctis’ name these days without eliciting a physical response, whether it be of the lovesick variety (Gladio was still working on striking that particular four-letter word from his vocabulary; it crept around the edges of his thoughts like a damn thief), or the one that had him making booty calls damn near nightly. 

Three sharp prongs pointed in his direction. "If you breathe one word to him, Gladiolus, I swear to the Astrals I will have you gutted in your sleep."

Gladio’s phone buzzed in his pocket. Right on cue, if his suspicion was correct. He pulled it absentmindedly, ignoring the "tsk" Ignis gave him for the breach of etiquette. A swipe of his thumb and he was reminded that he needed to change his settings so text messages didn’t pop up on his home screen.

Like really needed to. Like doing so was not at all optional.

 **[Princess, 6:54pm]** cum over

Gladio hazarded a sideways look at Ignis. Luckily, he was fully engrossed in something vaguely steak related. It seemed like a situation; smoke was filling the kitchen and the pan was once again being held above the flame rather than resting on the burner. Under different circumstances Gladio would rush in to save the day. As it was, he sent a quick prayer of gratitude in the direction of the flame as he shot off a return text.

 **[Gladio, 6:55pm]** at Iggy’s, call u later.

Then, because Noctis was a little shit who liked to push boundaries:

 **[Gladio, 6:55pm]** he’s right here so be careful

Three dots told Gladio that Noctis was working on a response. He ignored it and slipped his phone back into his pocket – no way he was gonna risk Ignis seeing this little exchange. He fished a bottle opener out of a drawer and a beer from the six-pack, then popped the cap off and took a swig.

"…believe he may be seeing somebody."

"Hmm?" Gladio said, distracted. His pocket buzzed again. He rested his palm on his pants. It buzzed a third time.

"Do you need to get that?"

"Uh," It was tempting. He had a compulsive thing about his phone anyway, and Noct’s opening text had piqued his interest, even if his timing sucked. 

His timing really sucked. And Gladio needed keep his phone in his pocket, not fish it out and tilt the screen away from Ignis again, swipe his thumb over the lock screen, and stare open-mouthed at the sight of Noctis’ ass cheeks spread wide, fingers teasing at a moderately-sized silicone butt plug.

"Is everything all right?" Ignis said, voice tipping into actual concern. 

Gladio licked his lips. He told himself firmly to turn his screen off and go put his cell in his shoe so he wouldn’t be tempted to start something while he was eating godsdamn steak with one of his closest friends, who also happened to be one of the many people in Gladio’s life that absolutely could not know about this.

A breath in, and back out.

_put the phone away._

He kept staring.

_reasons you need to put the phone away:_

….....

"Gladio."

"Sorry? Oh. Shit, yeah. It’s fine." 

"Are you sure?" Ignis said, and now he was giving Gladio that look, the one that meant he was connecting the dots. Gladio just hoped they were the wrong dots. "If you need to attend to something, by all means – I wouldn’t wish to be responsible should the prince’s Shield be remiss in his duty simply because we are off the clock."

"Yeah," Gladio repeated, voice hoarse. The screen went blank of its own accord, thank the Astrals. "Don’t worry, you’re not--" Gladio stopped himself. 

_not the reason I’m blowing off my duty._

That was shitting close.

"Anyway, you were saying something?"

Ignis picked up the plates. They were sporting two perfectly-sized steaks. One had a generous side of asparagus, while exactly three spears rested on the other. They were noticeably shorter; a fact that was not obscured by the slivers of pickled red pepper that garnished the dish. "Let’s eat," he said, "before dinner grows cold. We can discuss the matter at the table."

Gladio snatched a spear of asparagus from his own plate with his fingers, just to get Ignis’ goat. The disapproving look he got in return was worth it. "Animal," Ignis said, swatting his hand.

"Hey, just because I don’t know the proper fork to use on asparagus--"

"Any fork would be preferable to fingers." Ignis settled into his seat. The table held four identical place settings, which predictably included multiple forks, a soup spoon and a table spoon, a tall glass meant for water, a set of stemless wine glasses, and white linen napkins. 

Gladio let out a low whistle. "Geez, Igs," I know you like to entertain, but you didn’t have to set a full table for just the two of us." He grabbed his beer, then balanced Ignis’ wine glass in the same hand.

"It’s no bother. The setting is semi-permanent as it is."

"At my house we dish our soup out of the crockpot and sit on the couch like savages," Gladio said with a shrug.

Ignis snatched the wine glass from between Gladio’s fingers. "Which is delightful, by the way. I’m afraid my apartment is rather austere." 

"We could change that, you know," Gladio said, plopping into his chair. "Get you a beat up old couch, some knickknacks from the thrift store; hell, we could make it downright cozy in here." 

A look of pure horror crossed Ignis’ face.

"That’s what I thought." Gladio flashed a toothy grin. "Anyway, you were saying?" He cut into his steak, and if he held his fork wrong just to fuck with Ignis a bit; well, Ignis was used to it.

"I was saying, I believe Noct may be seeing somebody."

The knife in Gladio’s hand skittered across his plate. He choked on absolutely nothing. 

"Come again?"

"It’s just a suspicion," Ignis went on, as though Gladio hadn’t just flashed a pair of aces at the dealer. "He’s been… well, his demeanor has picked up, seemingly out of nowhere. It reminds me of when he met Prompto. Do you remember?"

Gladio’s throat was suddenly very dry. "You think it’s Prompto?"

"Oh Astrals, no. It isn’t Prompto." The ghost of a smile crossed Ignis’ lips. "Actually, he’s the one that drew my attention to it. Apparently Noctis has been rather difficult to get ahold of these days, and he’s stood Prompto up on two separate occasions." He pushed a stray piece of asparagus away from where it was resting against a corner of his steak.

Huh. Come to think of it, he and Noctis had been spending a lot of time together. It was mostly time they would be spending together regardless: in training, between meetings, in meetings, when Noctis had plans outside the Citadel… oh.

Usually those plans involved Prompto. But they hadn’t lately. 

Yeah, that wasn’t okay. Noct was about to be on the receiving end of a talk about ditching your friends for… whatever the hell they were doing. 

Right now, though, he needed to throw Ignis off the trail.

"Prompto talks to you about this kinda stuff? Didn’t realize you two were that close."

Ignis set his silverware down and wiped his mouth with his napkin. "Come again?" he said, echoing Gladio’s earlier question. Gladio narrowed his eyes, then widened them. Well, shit. 

That worked as a distraction as well as anything else. 

"Ignis, you didn’t," he said. The way Ignis was avoiding his gaze was all the answer he needed. "Holy shit, you did."

"I’m sure I have no idea what you’re referring to." Ignis worried at the stem of his wine glass, twirling it in his fingers. The glass tipped, sloshing dangerously close to the lip. He righted it hastily.

A loud rattle came from the direction of the kitchen. "Oh dear, " Ignis said, craning around to seek the source of the sound. "That’s your phone again, Gladiolus. You would do well to fetch it." Gladio could read between the lines, and this was as close as Ignis ever got to telling someone to fuck right off.

He decided to give him the out. "All right, I get it," he said. "Be back in a sec." He ambled into the kitchen.

 **[Princess, 7:08pm]** why? want u here

The text was followed by an image. It was similar to the last, with Noct on his knees and his ass tilted up toward the camera. The plug was being pulled out, dark skin around it stretched taut over the widest point.

Shit, that was hot.

One of Gladio’s hands wandered south while the other typed out a quick reply. Before he could hit send, a third message came through. He glanced over his shoulder out of instinct before scrolling down. Another photo, this one from the front. It was a close up of Noct’s face, pressed against the mattress. His eyes were closed and there was a little wrinkle between his eyebrows where they were knitted together. He was covering his mouth, biting the inside of his palm in an attempt to stifle a moan.

In other words, he looked like he was giving himself a good hard fuck.

 **[Gladio, 7:09pm]** Enjoying yourself?

The response came almost immediately.

**[Princess, 7:09pm]** Practicing

 **[Princess, 7:09pm]** for ypu

 **[Princess, 7:09pm]** *you

Gladio was getting hard pretty damn quick and his hand wasn’t helping matters much – or it was, depending on how you looked at it. He ran one finger up the length of his cock and back down. It twitched in his pants.

Another buzz. He opened the text hastily, then just as hastily jammed his thumb at the screen. Noctis had sent him a video.

Probably shouldn’t watch that in the middle of Ignis’ kitchen.

He sank to the floor, turned the sound all the way down, and pressed play.

And oh – the camera was trained on the plug again. Noctis was thrusting it slowly in and out, the skin around the base stretching to accommodate, then clenching back down as it took the toy in. Gladio grunted and pulled at his zipper. He needed to get his hand on his cock right the fuck now, Ignis or no Ignis. He got his underwear down, then thumbed his slit and squeezed. 

The video played on. Noctis pulled the plug all the way out, his asshole gaping where the thick plastic had stretched it, then slid it back in. There was a moment where it seemed like it wouldn’t go. He gave it a twist, one way and then the other. The back of his thighs tensed with the effort of bearing down, and then it slid home. 

Noctis was taking his time, fucking himself slow, and Gladio set a pace to match. When the toy popped back through that first ring of muscle, he had to pinch himself off at the base. "Shit, Noct," he grunted. Fuck, that was out loud. He checked the door again.

 **[Gladio, 7:11pm]** I’m in Iggy’s kitchen with my dick out and it’s your fault.

 **[Princess, 7:11pm]** Show me.

He tipped his phone down and snapped a picture. It was blurry, the angle was funny, and the lighting washed everything out; but then the circumstances were less than ideal, so whatever. He sent it, then started the video over at the beginning, biting his arm to stifle his groans while he watched.

 **[Gladio, 7:12pm]** all for you.

 **[Princess, 7:13pm]** Fuck.

 **[Princess, 7:16pm]** You’re gonna wanna hear this one.

A still of Noctis’ face, and the play button.

 **[Gladio, 7:16pm]** Did you miss the part where I’m on the floor in Iggy’s kitchen?

 **[Princess, 7:16pm]** Oh yeah. Tell Specs I said hi.

 **[Gladio, 7:17pm]** Brat.

 **[Gladio, 7:17pm}** Hold on.

The phone slipped from Gladio’s hand and clattered to the floor. He let go of his dick, ignoring the way it pulsed with the change in status. Why Ignis hadn’t grown suspicious and come to check on him, Gladio didn’t know, but he’d take it. He stood, straightened himself out, grabbed his phone, and wandered back into the dining area. Ignis looked at him expectantly. 

"Handled, is it?"

"Yeah," Gladio said. "No biggie, like I thought. I’m gonna," he gestured toward the bathroom, then made a break for it.

He was back on the floor with his hand around his dick the minute the door clicked shut. He got his phone out and turned the volume all the way up. The bathroom was immediately filled with the filthiest noises Gladio had ever heard. Noctis started with a moan, his face scrunched up in pleasure. His shoulder moved in tandem with the hand that was working the toy, and his torso rocked into the mattress with each thrust. The moan quickly escalated into sharp, rhythmic cries as the thrusts sped up. "Fuck, Gladio," he said, staring directly into the camera, "your cock feels so--" the words were cut off with a harsh gasp and a broken curse. The video ended abruptly on a still of Noctis working a finger into his mouth, a lewd half-grin on his face.

Gladio had never hit the call button so fast in his life.

He was greeted with a slew of soft breathy gasps. "Don’t you dare come," he growled.

"Keep talking," Noctis said. "wanna hear your voice."

"I mean it, Noct. I’m on my way over." Gladio gripped the base of his cock and willed his own orgasm down.

"Yeah, like that – oh," Noctis panted. "Just – just keep talking, I’m gonna--"

Gladio hung up.

 **[Gladio, 7:22pm]** I want to feel you come on my dick, so you better keep it together ’till I get there.

Ignis was flipping through his own phone when Gladio returned, seemingly unaffected by his absence. "Ah. Finished then?"

"Actually, no." Gladio shoved his hands in his pockets and a prayed he didn’t look too damn awkward. "They called back. Need me at the Citadel." 

Ignis stood and went for his jacket. "I suppose I’ll have to come along too, if it’s a Citadel matter." 

"No!" Gladio said hastily. "I mean, sorry - it’s my dad. He’s at the Citadel." Ignis looked unconvinced. "But, it’s ah, it’s a family thing." Gladio rubbed the back of his head. He’d be damned if Ignis was gonna buy this one.

"Are you quite sure?" Ignis asked. He cast a forlorn glance back at his dinner, long since grown cold. 

"Yeah, Ignis. No need. Really. Enjoy your dinner, and, uh," Gladio should really feel shittier about this than he did. As it was, he forced a guilty smile. "Sorry about," he gestured at the spread. "We can reschedule, yeah?" 

"Of course," Ignis said. He walked toward Gladio, and oh Gods, this was really not the time for a hug. Gladio pretended to misunderstand the gesture and shook Ignis’ hand. 

Astrals. He was really flying by the seat of his pants here.

They wrapped up their good-byes and he hoofed it out the door. Less than ten strides and he was at Noct’s doorstep. 

His phone buzzed again.

 **[Princess, 7:28pm]** I do what I want.

The message was accompanied by a photo of Noctis’ hand, splayed open and coated with a sticky white film.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t be shy about commenting, I love to chatter about these boys!
> 
> [Come find me on Tumblr.](https://itsalwaysbloodmagic.tumblr.com/)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look, here I am! Sorry for the delay, folks. Last week was... well, it was a week.
> 
> A couple of things about this chapter: Boundaries are pushed in a way that toes the consent line pretty hard, and there are references to Gladio taking on a big brother role with Noctis. It’s not sexual or a huge focus, but it’s there. If either of those themes are squicks for you, please take care.
> 
> This fic was my first attempt at writing smut. Not gonna lie, I almost decided I hated it. Now it’s all I ever want to write. The support and interest I’ve gotten from all of you is a big part of that. Thanks so much for your comments and kudos and general loveliness. I hope you enjoy the last chapter.
> 
> [Come find me on Tumblr.](https://itsalwaysbloodmagic.tumblr.com/)

Face full of Noctis. That's what Gladio had. Lip on lip, tongue licking the inside of his mouth, legs wrapped around his waist, arms slung over his shoulders, back against the wall. Noctis, moaning and grinding and demanding.

Gladio grunted. "Shit, kid. Give me a minute." Well. About half of those words came out, seeing as how his mouth was occupied. He gave in and kissed back, just as needy, just as demanding. Palmed Noct's cock – soft, because right. He came already. Against Gladio's explicit instructions. 

There should probably be consequences for that sort of thing. 

A shiver against his chest. Goosebumps, too tempting not to touch. He ran his hands up Noctis' naked stomach, scraped nails against his ribcage. A gasp and a whine, frantic clutching at the back of his neck. He grinned and did it again. "Didn't bother to get dressed, huh?" His voice scraped against the back of his throat, gravelly and thick with want. 

"Ready for you, " Noct panted. He leaned back, and shit, the core strength it took to do that was- it was a lot. Gladio felt a swell of pride. He had done that, worked Noctis until he could hold himself at that angle with his legs wrapped wide around Gladio's torso and his arms stretched high above his head. Gladio thumbed over Noctis' nipples, teasing them, one and then the other, back and forth. "More, " Noctis said. "More of that." 

A hand against his, guiding it back. The base of a plug. 

Gladio growled. "You kept it in."

"Of course I did, big guy." Wide open eyes, eyelashes batting, playing up innocence. "Wanted to be ready."

"Bedroom. Now." He carried Noct down the hall. Managed to shed shoes and pants on the way. Nudged the bedroom door open with his foot. Or, more accurately, kicked the door open. Noctis was licking him behind the ear. Over and over. Tiny, delicate kitten licks, just enough to tease, driving Gladio crazy. He peeled his shirt off, hoisted Noctis up, and tossed him. Noctis landed softly, bounced twice when he hit the mattress, spread his legs, and waited.

He was so small, underneath Gladio. Small enough that if Gladio laid down flat, pressed him into the mattress, covered him chest to feet, an observer wouldn't be able to tell he was there. Gladio tried it out, bracing his forearms on either side of Noctis' shoulders and lining their collarbones up. Noctis was short enough that his pelvis aligned with the top of Gladio's belly button, the tip of his cock grazing the trail of hair running downward toward Gladio's crotch. His feet rested against the outside of Gladio's shins. Gladio lowered his weight until Noctis was taking the bulk of it and dragged his cock along Noctis' thigh. Noctis let out a moan, voice breaking against the drag.

Something about facing each other was almost too much. Gladio didn’t want to think too hard about the look in Noct's eyes. Blissed out. Venerating. So much trust it twisted Gladio's heart into something small and scared, then untwisted it until it filled his whole chest with warmth. He leaned in for a kiss. Their lips brushed together, and it was soft. Slow. Different than before. And yeah. That didn’t help. 

Tears were threatening to spill, prickling the corners of his eyes. Fuck. He wasn't a stranger to crying during sex. Just, usually that was a post-orgasm thing. Or a byproduct of too much cock too fast. Not this soft, heart-cracking-open shit. 

He shifted his attention to his cock, gave it a few strokes. He was wet at the tip. Noctis eyed it, tongue running over his lips. 

"You gonna put that in me?"

"If you're lucky," Gladio said. He winked. Brushed the inside of Noctis' thighs with his hand, teased along his perineum, back down and up again. Noctis arched his back and shivered.

"Hurry it up. I've had this thing in for - fuck, Gladio - for most of the day."

"Shiva's tits," Gladio said, "are you serious?" He found the plug, slipped his fingers under the base, and tugged. Not enough to pull it out, just enough for the widest point to stretch against Noctis' hole. Took in the sight of Noctis' face twisting up in pleasure, head tossed back, hair framing his face, messy against the bedsheets. Muscles twitched under his fingers. He relaxed his grip, and the toy pressed back in. Noctis arched again, opened his mouth. Failed at words. Gladio figured he could do something about that.

"You want my cock, don’t you? Been waiting for it. Not so patient, though, were you? Think you deserve it?" He tugged on the toy again, let it slip out, then popped it back in with a twist. Noctis gasped, rocked back into it. Dug his fingers into the sheets and opened his legs. Met his eyes.

"Yep," Noctis said, cocky as hell. He bent his leg and reached under. Their fingers brushed together, and even that felt intimate. Gladio sat back on his calves. Watched Noctis push the plug in deeper. Hard, fast, sharp. "Want you to slide right in. Fuck me just like this. Or grab my waist and use those big muscles to flip us. I’ll ride you. Give you a good show." Every thrust was accompanied by the squelch of lube. It leaked out around the base of the plug. Noctis had really prepared himself. Was ready to go.

"You got condoms?" Gladio asked.

Noctis tilted his chin toward the bedside table. "You know where they are," he said, smirking. "With the lube, remember?"

Little shit.

Some fumbling and the drawer slid open. Gladio took a minute to assess each plug, paying close attention to girth. He toyed with the image of Noctis starting with the smallest and working his way up. He would be tight at first, barely able to get it in, then move on to the next when he was nice and loose. 

Something was off. His hand slid over the fourth, paused, and returned to the third. Huh. "Noct," he said, pulling out the two largest ones. "You’re only halfway there."

The look on Noctis’ face shifted into stubborn. "Yeah? So?" 

"So I’m a lot bigger than this." He held up the one in his hand. 

Noctis’ cock twitched against his belly. Leaked. "I- fuck, I know. It’s really hot." He ran his hands through the pre-come on his stomach, smeared it down his shaft and back up. 

Glado tossed the condoms and the two largest plugs on the bed, rooted around again for the lube, added it to the pile. "You want me to start with my hands or keep going with the plugs?"

"What?"

"Gotta open you up. Make sure you’re ready." He rocked his hips, propping himself on his elbows to get a good angle. "You want this, yeah?" he asked, pushing up to Noctis’ perineum until he was teasing his balls, then back down to his ass.

Noctis grunted, low. Pushed back. "Yeah. Just do it." A whine. "Please." 

There was plenty of excess lube along the cleft of Noct’s ass. He coated his fingers, slipped two under the plug, tried to work his way in. Met resistance immediately. 

"Nuh uh. You’re not ready." 

A hand joined his, grabbed the plug and pulled. Then it was out and Gladio was staring at Noctis’ hole. Wet, gaping, begging to be filled. His cock caught on the rim. He almost pushed in. Almost.

He stopped. Got himself under control. "Not cool, Noct." It was half bluff, because fuck he wanted that. But yeah. Not happening. He took a deep breath. "One. Condom. Not negotiable. Two. I’m not fucking you like this. I’m really big, and it’s not a joke. I’ll hurt you."

Noctis sat up and leaned against the headboard, training his eyes to the side.

"Hey," Gladio said, "don’t do the shutting down thing." Noctis mumbled something, too low for Gladio to hear. "That’s a start," Gladio said with a sigh. Deep breaths, a hand on Noct’s knee. This was not the time to get pissed. "Didn’t hear you, though."

"Maybe that’s the point," Noctis said. It was a challenge.

"The pain?" 

"What if it was?"

Gladio would be lying if he said he wasn’t interested. Images flooded his mind – Noctis on top, taking him slowly, his face contorted, tear streaks down his cheeks. That was porn shit, though. Not real life. Noct needed to learn they weren’t the same thing.

"Not sure if I’m okay with that." 

"Please?" Noctis said, spreading his legs again. His hole glistened, dusky around the edges, pink inside. He reached forward and dragged one finger up Gladio’s cock. Squeezed the tip. Thumbed at the slit. "I want it, I promise." 

Gladio was a weak man. A weak man that couldn’t say no to his prince. A weak man that really, really got off on the idea of Noctis pushing his limits. "Okay," he said. His voice cracked like a teenager. He found himself pushed backward on the bed, a small hand spayed across the center of his chest. Noctis straddled his waist. 

"Condom," Gladio said.

Noctis produced the condom, used his teeth to open the wrapper. A bit of foil stuck to his lips. "Duh," he said, brushing it aside. He reached behind him and rolled on the condom, squeezing the whole way down. Grabbed the lube and added that to the mix. Gave him a couple more strokes. "For good measure," Noctis said. "Because," he paused, pretended to look scared. "Don’t want you to hurt me." He made his voice small.

"Fuck you," Gladio said. "Get on my dick." He let his cock catch on the rim, purposeful this time around. Pressed up against muscle. Slid in quick. Then- Astrals, it was everything. More than everything. Noctis was hot and tight and perfect. The glide was easy and slick. "Wet for me, aren’t you?" He growled. Fucked in deeper. Muscles clenched around him. Noctis tensed. Went rigid.

"It’s okay," Gladio said, low and comforting. He massaged Noctis’ hips. "Take your time. I can wait." Noct was only about a third of the way down, holding himself up, hands digging into Gladio’s abs. His thighs were shaking. 

Gladio demonstrated breathing, and Noctis matched his breaths. They both held perfectly still. "You can take more," Gladio murmured. "I know you can. Just gotta relax. Take it slow." He felt Noct relax. Slide down a little. The lube helped.

A shaky hand left his torso, worked its way under, grasped at his dick. Stroked down to his balls and back up. It was too dry for Gladio’s taste, so he rustled around in search of the lube. The handjob turned sloppy. Fast without rhythm.

Gladio propped his arms under his head and settled in to watch. It was almost too much; Noctis’ rim stretched tight, the blush across his chest, the tension in his neck, his hands wrapped around what he wasn’t able to take. And yeah. There. Face screwed up. Eyes wet. Just like Gladio had imagined. 

Noctis paused on an upstroke to rub at Gladio’s shaft where it breached that first ring of muscle. He pressed in with one finger, then added another. Half-words caught sharply, hung up on hitches of breath. "Bear down," Gladio said. "It’ll open you up."

It didn’t. Not enough, anyway.

Hitches turned into gulps. Noct was forcing himself down, trembling all over. His muscles were milking Gladio’s dick. It hurt. 

He missed the first sob. Caught the shudder that followed. A harsh intake of breath, more tears, another sob. It twisted Gladio’s stomach, suddenly wasn’t so hot. "Nope," he said. "Not doing this." He tightened his hands around Noctis’ waist and lifted him off his lap, rolled the condom off, and chucked it in the general direction of the wastebasket. He’d deal with it later. 

"What the fuck?" Noctis said. He winced, wiped tears from his face.

Gladio grabbed a pillow, arranged Noctis so it rested between his ankles and his ass. Eyed him. "You’re kidding, right?" He got a glare for his efforts. "Noct. It was too much." 

"I could’ve taken it." Noctis shifted. Winced again. 

"Sure you could’ve. With a lot more practice, two more plugs, and my fingers up your ass first."

"It was good." Noctis’ voice wavered.

Gladio scrubbed a hand down his face. "You’re crying. You could’ve – fuck, I could’ve hurt you. Bad." 

"I told you I like it."

A familiar brand of guilt settled in Gladio’s gut. Turned out it wasn’t gone, just waiting in the wings. "Yeah, well, I don’t. And this is kinda a two-way street." He worked his jaw. "Listen," he said, "I told you I’d try it, and I did. There’s a lot of other stuff we can do if you’re into pain. We just gotta talk about it first."

Noctis flung himself backward onto the bed. "But I want this."

Fuck, this kid was going to be the death of him. "You know lots of guys don’t even do anal, right? It’s not like a goal post." He laid down. "And besides, you never even asked me if I top."

"Don’t you? Kinda figured –"

"I know." Gladio was off his game; the conversation too serious. "And no, generally the bigger guy doesn’t top. I’m usually the bigger guy." He winked. Hoped it was enough to lighten the mood.

"Some ego you got there," Noctis said, aiming a kick at Gladio’s shin. Gladio turned to face Noctis and placed a single, chaste kiss to the crown of his head. 

"Dick to match."

A secret smile tugged at the corner of Noctis’ mouth. He pressed his body along Gladio’s and rested a hand on his hip. Gladio ducked his head. Soft lips pressed against his, a ghost of a kiss. Gladio chased it when Noctis pulled back, caught a bottom lip, nipped gently. It stayed gentle, building heat so slowly Gladio hardly noticed. His cock stirred again, and before long it was sliding across Noctis’ stomach while 

Noct rubbed against his leg, slipping into the crease of his thigh. Slow, languid. Like they had all the time in the world.

Noctis broke the kiss, ran his tongue over his bottom lip, and rested his mouth against Gladio’s ear. "I spent years thinking about taking your cock, forcing myself down it." He picked up the pace. It became urgent. Hot. "Jerked off thinking about how much it would hurt to be split open on you. It was – fuck, Gladio. Only thing I ever wanted." 

Gladio watched his cock slide through the pre-come and sweat that slicked up Noctis’ stomach, pressed his hips into Noctis, squeezed his thigh against Noctis’ dick. Noctis’ fingers dug into his ass. "Gladio, I’m gonna –"

"Do it." 

Muscles went taught where his hands pressed into Noct’s back. A mouth found his, hard and desperate. Abs flexed against his cock. Next thing he knew his thigh was slick, his hips were slick, and Noctis was like putty in his arms, radiating warmth.

"You gonna come on my chest?" Noctis asked. "Kind of a thing for you, huh?" 

Something pinged in the back of his mind. A half-memory tinged with guilt. He shoved it aside, let his forebrain take over. "Fuck yeah." He grunted, trapping his cock against Noctis’ stomach and rutting into it. "Gonna come all over you."

"Nope." Noctis wrestled Gladio’s arm out to the side and up. Flipped them. Actually shitting flipped them, scrawny body and all, until he was on his back and Gladio was pressed against him. "Come here," he said, slipping his arms behind Gladio and guiding him toward his shoulders. Gladio rested his knees on either side of Noctis’ head, ass against his collarbone. 

"Ride me," Noctis said. "Come in my mouth."

Gladio sucked in a breath. "You sure?" 

Fingers around his cock, working him slowly. "Scoot up." Noctis’ mouth opened for him, pink and wet and glistening. He pushed forward cautiously. Lined himself up until the tip of his cock rested gently on Noctis’ lower lip. Gave a few shallow thrusts. Stopped to admire. 

"Shitting Astrals, Noct. So fucking hot." 

"Want you," Noctis mouthed. His breath hit Gladio’s cock, making it twitch. A tongue darted out. Licked and retreated. Noct opened wider. Ready to take.

"Fuck, yeah. Okay." Gladio grabbed himself and squeezed. "Hands over your head." Noctis swallowed, then did as he was told. "Not gonna fuck your face today. You gotta work your way up to that one, just like my dick in your ass." He dipped two fingers into Noctis’ mouth. "No," he said, when Noctis’ lips started to close around them. "Leave it open. Tongue down." Saliva glistened, pooled around Noctis’ tongue. "Shit, yeah. Show me that pretty throat. Gonna put my dick in there next time." He slicked up his cock with spit. Let the tip breach that soft fucking mouth. Pulled out. Dipped back in. His balls tightened. Hips stuttered. Cock scraped against teeth. 

"None of that." Noctis struggled to cover his teeth. Finally got it. "You look so good like this. Open, all slick for me, ready to take me down. Such a good boy, doing what I say." His hand joined the fray. Grasped hard. Stroked fast. "Gonna come in your mouth, watch you swallow. Swallow it all down."

Noctis moaned under him. It forced its way past his vocal chords, dissonant through an open mouth. 

"Fuck, Noct. Do that again." He jerked forward, pressed in, stopped himself just in time. Lips wrapped around him. Hot, wet, suction, another moan. Gladio squeezed his dick, picking up speed. He bucked, felt his cock pulse. Came hard and sudden. Watched the tendons in Noctis’ neck tense with each swallow. 

Gladio waited until he was soft before pulling out. What was left of his come dribbled out the corners of Noctis’ mouth. He moved himself, shaky, until he was resting with his head against Noctis’ chest. Stole a kiss on the way, licked the come from his lips, let the sound of Noctis’ heartbeat calm him. Arms tightened around his waist. He drifted. Wasn’t quite asleep when Noct shifted under him. "Hey big guy," Noctis said. "You’re kinda – um." Gladio got the hint and slid off. He grinned, ducked his head. 

"Sorry." 

Bashful after all that. 

Noctis matched his grin, ducked his own head, laughed. Caught Gladio’s lips in a kiss. 

"Can I ask you something?" Noctis said.

"Sure." Noctis was beautiful, all post-coital bliss. Eyes soft and hazy, hair mussed, relaxed. Gladio took his time drinking it in.

"Do you – do you mean it? We can talk about the pain thing?"

The blush that was creeping into Noctis’ cheeks was real damn cute. Made Gladio want to pinch them. "You ever done it before?" Gladio asked.

"With myself. Not, like, with anyone else. Got some nipple clamps, though. And, um." Noctis rolled over, cast around under the bed. He emerged holding a paddle. It was handcrafted, long and narrow, made from a dark wood that Gladio recognized as cherry. More elegant than he expected from Noct, to be honest. 

"Where’d you get that?" Gladio asked. 

"I walked into a sex store," Noctis said, voice laced with sarcasm. "In full royal raiment. Brought my dad along for advice." He punched Gladio in the arm. "The internet exists, old man." He gave a shy smile. "Never used it. Was hoping you’d want to."

Gladio was avoiding the question of who else Noctis might be fooling around with, mostly because he felt a certain kind of way about the idea. Jealous, which was to be expected. But also protective. Like he felt the first time Iris brought a boyfriend home. It was, for obvious reasons, more than a little uncomfortable. 

There was a third feeling too. A different kind of protectiveness. More familiar, wrapped up in honor and duty and all the shit he’d started ignoring when he decided to go ahead and fuck his liege on the regular. 

_Not the best time for that stuff,_ he told himself sternly. He swatted Noctis on the butt, gave a mischievous grin, and sat up. Picked up the paddle and ran his hand along the lacquered finish. Gave it a couple of smacks against his palm. He let his grin turn hungry. 

"This is a nice one." The words rolled off his tongue, casual as could be. Noctis feigned indifference. Gladio waited. "There it is," he said, when Noctis started squirming. He brought the paddle down hard, sudden, against Noctis’ backside. Noctis’ hips lifted off the bed. A red stripe bloomed across his ass. It was damn satisfying.

"Do it again," Noctis hissed through his teeth. 

"Anything for you, Princess." He brought the paddle down again. It landed with a _thwack_ against Noctis’ ass. Noctis choked on a yelp. Bit into his fist.

"Again."

"Nah. Just wanted to try it out." He laid it on the bed between them and ran his hand over Noctis’ rear. It was striped, skin red and angry. "It’s good. Real good. Wanna see you take more. Done for today, though, okay?"

Noctis smiled, big and grateful. "Sure thing, Shield." He rolled onto his side and rested a hand on Gladios’ knee. Gladio wound his fingers through Noctis’, squeezed, and hoped it was enough. It must have been, because the look Noctis gave him was all fondness.

"You always liked that stuff?" Gladio asked. He stroked his thumb over the back of Noctis’ hand. 

"Dunno. Not all of it. You know who does though?" 

"Who?"

Noctis grinned. His eyes lit up with secrets about to be spilled. "Specs. He’s into knives. Other stuff too." An oh-shit look crossed his face. "Keep that to yourself, okay? I’m not supposed to know."

"You drop that and expect me not to tell?" Gladio asked. "I know more than one Glaive that would- wait. How do you know so much about Iggy’s sex life?" 

"Prompto tells me everything," Noctis said with a shrug.

Damn. That was even better. "I knew it. Iggy almost choked on his steak when I asked him."

"You asked him?"

"Nah. He hinted at it so I called him out. He told me you were- oh yeah, I was gonna talk to you about that."

"Hmm?" Noctis asked, tracing a finger along Gladio’s thigh.

"Pay attention for a minute?"

"Oh. Sure." Noctis sat up.

Gladio fixed Noctis with the sternest look he could muster. "You’re blowing Prompto off to spend time with me. Don’t do that." 

"Fine. But only because you pulled the big brother thing," Noctis said, rolling his eyes.

"Hey."

"What?" Kid was playing dumb, pushing on purpose. It was cute. Too cute.

Gladio pointed a finger at Noctis. "First, we’re working on our conflict resolution skills." 

"Whatever, dad." Another eye roll. Also cute. 

"Second. Don’t call me big brother. Or dad. Unless you got a kink about that stuff, in which case we can talk about it."

"Gross." Noctis scowled. "Just, you’re kind of taking on a role here." 

"Well, maybe I know a thing or two," Gladio said, biting back spite.

"Right. Like you’re the freaking expert on relationships."

It took Gladio a minute to process that, then another minute to work through the mess of emotions that came along with it. In the meantime, Noctis watched him. Like he knew exactly what he was saying. Like it was a test.

"Relationships?" A whisper. Small, uncertain, but hopeful. 

"Yeah, relationships." Noctis repeated the word, calm as anything. Like it was a given. "What did you think we were doing?" Fifty-fifty he was bluffing.

Gladio was at a loss. He struggled for words, finally found some, insufficient as they were. "Usually people talk about that sort of thing."

Lips pressed against his, gentle and warm. Gladio’s bones settled into the kiss. He breathed deep, taking in Noctis’ scent. It was grounding. Unmistakable. Familiar like the weight of a shield. Gladio wanted to drink it. Bury himself in it. Never come up.

Shiva. He was such a sap.

Their cheeks brushed together. Soft hair tickled his face. "Talking’s not exactly our strong suit," Noctis murmured into his ear. A lick and a nip, lips ghosting along after.

"Yeah," Gladio said. "I guess not." He draped his arms across shoulders smaller than his but still strong, used the leverage to pull himself into Noctis’ lap. He fit. It was good. Felt like home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love screaming about these boys, so don’t be shy about commenting!
> 
> [Come find me on Tumblr.](https://itsalwaysbloodmagic.tumblr.com/)


End file.
